document.write( "Question 258355: Starting at home, a man traveled 9 miles east, then 7 miles north, then 3 miles east, then x miles south. At that point, he was 13 miles from home. Find all possible values for x.
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Algebra.Com's Answer #190220 by stanbon(75887) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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Starting at home, a man traveled 9 miles east, then 7 miles north, then 3 miles east, then x miles south. At that point, he was 13 miles from home. Find all possible values for x.
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\n" ); document.write( "Draw a picture.
\n" ); document.write( "Put the start at (0,0)
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\n" ); document.write( "9 east goes to (9,0)
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\n" ); document.write( "7 miles north goes to (9,7)
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\n" ); document.write( "3 miles east goes to (12,7)
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\n" ); document.write( "x miles south goes to (12,7-x)
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\n" ); document.write( "Equation:
\n" ); document.write( "Distance from (0,0) to (12,7-x)
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\n" ); document.write( "d = sqrt[(12-0)^2 +(7-x-0)^2] = 13
\n" ); document.write( "13 = sqrt[144 + 49 - 14x + x^2]
\n" ); document.write( "169 = 193 - 14x + x^2
\n" ); document.write( "x^2 - 14x + 24 = 0
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\n" ); document.write( "x = [14 +- sqrt(14^2 - 4*24)]/2
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\n" ); document.write( "x = [14 +- 10]/2
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\n" ); document.write( "x = 12 or x = 2
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\n" ); document.write( "Cheers,
\n" ); document.write( "Stan H. \n" ); document.write( "

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