SOLUTION: Hello, I'm having a hard time solving this problem:
A guy wire 40 feet long runs from the top of a pole to a spot on the ground. If the height of the pole is 5 feet more than the
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Question 913629: Hello, I'm having a hard time solving this problem:
A guy wire 40 feet long runs from the top of a pole to a spot on the ground. If the height of the pole is 5 feet more than the distance from the base of the pole to the spot where the guy wire is anchored, how tall is the pole?
Answer by mananth(16946) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
distance from base of pole leg1= x m
Height of pole leg2= x+ 5 m
wire , Hypotenuse = 40 m
Pythagoras theorem
(Hyp)^2= (leg1)^2+ Leg2^2
Hypotenuse = 40 cm
leg1= x cm
Leg2= (x + 5 )
x^2 + (x + 5 ) ^2 + = 1600
x^2 + x^2 + 10 x+ 25 = 1600
2 x^2+10x -1575 = 0
/ 2
1 X^2 + 5 x-787.5 = 0
Find the roots of the equation by quadratic formula
a= 1 ,b= 5 ,c= -787.5
b^2-4ac= 25 - -3150
b^2-4ac= 3175
x1=( 51.35)/ 2
x1= 25.67 ft
x2=( -5 -56.35 ) / 2
x2= -30.67
Ignore negative value
Height of pole = 25.67+5= 30.67m
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