SOLUTION: hello again guys...!Here's my question: A vertical pole was broken by the wind. The upper part, still attached, reached a point on the level ground 15 feet from the base. If the

Question 146493: hello again guys...!Here's my question:
A vertical pole was broken by the wind. The upper part, still attached, reached a point on the level ground 15 feet from the base. If the upper part is 9 feet longer than the lower part, how tall was the pole?

Found 2 solutions by jim_thompson5910, checkley77:
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let x=length of the lower part

If you draw the triangle, you'll get

So we can use Pythagoreans theorem:

where a and b are the legs of the triangle and c is the hypotenuse

Plug in , and

Square 15 to get 225

FOIL

Get all terms to the left side.

Combine like terms.

Subtract from both sides.

Combine like terms on the right side.

Divide both sides by to isolate .

Reduce.

So the length of the lower part is 8 feet. Now let's find the length of the upper part:

Start with the expression for length of the upper part

Plug in

So the length of the upper part is 17 feet

This means that the total length is feet

Answer by checkley77(12844) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
15^2+X^2=(X+9)^2
225+X^2=X^2+18X+81
18X=225-81
18X=144
X=144/18
X=8 FEET FOR THE LOWER PART OF THE POLE.
8+9=17 FEET FOR THE UPPER PART OF THE POLE.
PROOF:
15^2+8^2=17^2
225+64=289
289=289

RELATED QUESTIONS
A flagpole was broken over by the wind. The upper part,still attached,reached a point on... (answered by josgarithmetic)
A flagpole was broken over by the wind. The upper part,still attached,reached a point on... (answered by josgarithmetic)
Woody Woodpecker picked at a 17m wooden pole until it cracked and the upper part fell,... (answered by nerdybill)
I am having trouble figuring this problem. Please help. Woody Woodpecker pecked at a... (answered by scott8148)
woody woodpecker pecked at a 17 meter wooden pole until it cracked and the upper part... (answered by reelmccray)
. A pole is broken 3.5 ft above the level ground. The top of the pole strikes the ground... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)
A pole is broken by the storm of wind and its top struck the ground at an angle 30° and (answered by josgarithmetic)
My question is... A tree that was 30meters high was broken so that the broken part was 7... (answered by flame8855)
A vertical pole is to be supported by a wire that is 26 feet long and anchored 24 feet... (answered by longjonsilver)