document.write( "Question 262151: I need help! how do i fing the answer to this problem? a bamboo stick thats 20 ft long breaks and the tip touches 5 ft from the base. what is the height? how do i do this!! \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #193275 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)\"\" \"About 
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bamboo stick that's 20 ft long breaks. and the tip touches 5 ft from the base. what is the height? how do i do this!!
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\n" ); document.write( "A right triangle problem; a^2 + b^2 = c^2; draw a picture of this situation
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\n" ); document.write( "Let a = 5, the distance from the base to the tip, which now touches the ground
\n" ); document.write( "We know
\n" ); document.write( "b + c = 20 feet (vertical height + the part that touches the ground 5'away)
\n" ); document.write( "which is:
\n" ); document.write( "b = (20-c)
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Remember a^2 + b^2 = c^2. Replace a and b, and find c
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\n" ); document.write( "5^2 + (20-c)^2 = c^2
\n" ); document.write( "25 + 400 - 40c + c^2 = c^2; (FOIL (20-c)(20-c)
\n" ); document.write( "425 - 40c + c^2 - c^2 = 0; (c^2's cancel)
\n" ); document.write( "425 = 40c
\n" ); document.write( "c = \"425%2F40\"
\n" ); document.write( "c = 10.625 ft, the part that slants to the ground
\n" ); document.write( "then
\n" ); document.write( "20 - 10.625 = 9.375 ft, the height of the bent bamboo
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\n" ); document.write( "Check this on a calc:
\n" ); document.write( "5^2 + 9.375^2 = 10.625^2
\n" ); document.write( "25 + 87.89 = 112.89
\n" ); document.write( "112.89 = 112.89; confirms our solution
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