SOLUTION: To find out how wide a river is, Jon and Sally mark an X at the spot directly across from the big rock on the other side of the river. Then they walk in a straight line along the r

Question 536279: To find out how wide a river is, Jon and Sally mark an X at the spot directly across from the big rock on the other side of the river. Then they walk in a straight line along the river, perpendicular to the straight line between the X and the rock. After walking for 20 feet Jon stops while Sally continoues along a straight line for another 10 feet. Then she makes a 90 degree turn and walks for 30 feet. When she stops and looks at the rock she sees that the straight line from her to the rock passes trought Jon. What is the distance from X?
Answer by KMST(5328) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
There are two similar triangles (two right angles,two angles congruent because they're vertical angles.
The larger triangles sides are twice the smaller's in length.
RELATED QUESTIONS
The Boy Scouts of America have a method for measuring the distance across a stream: 1.... (answered by greenestamps)

Jim stands beside a wide river and wonders how wide it is. He spots a large rock on the... (answered by rothauserc,LinnW)

You are on a jungle expedition and come to a raging river. You need to build a bridge... (answered by jim_thompson5910)

You are measuring the width of the river. You place a stake on one side of the river,... (answered by Theo)

Ann is driving a motorboat across a river that 2 km wide. The boat has a speed of 20 km/h (answered by Theo)

Hi: What is the tangent of a 82 degree angle? My problem is to find the width of a... (answered by Big Poop)

(1) A swimmer is capable of swimming at 1.4m/s in still water. (a) how far downstream... (answered by josgarithmetic)

A motorboat heads straight across a river in the x-direction at 16m/s. The river flows... (answered by solver91311)

Pascal and his friend Fermat live on opposite sides of a river that is 1 km wide. Fermat... (answered by math_tutor2020,ikleyn)