document.write( "Question 367438: A 200-ft diagonal brace on a bridge connects a support of the center of the bridge to a side support on the bridge. The horizontal distance that it spans is 40 ft longer that the height that it reaches on the side of the bridge. Find the horizontal and vertical distances spanned by this brace. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #261919 by mananth(16946)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! A 200-ft diagonal brace on a bridge connects a support of the center of the bridge to a side support on the bridge. The horizontal distance that it spans is 40 ft longer that the height that it reaches on the side of the bridge. Find the horizontal and vertical distan \n" ); document.write( ".. \n" ); document.write( "diagonal = 200 ft. \n" ); document.write( "let the vertical height at which it is fitted be x \n" ); document.write( "the horizontal distance = x+40 \n" ); document.write( ".. \n" ); document.write( "they form a right triangle \n" ); document.write( "... \n" ); document.write( "x^2+(x+40)^2=200^2 \n" ); document.write( "x^2 + x^2 +80x+1600=40000 \n" ); document.write( "2x^2+80x-38400=0 \n" ); document.write( "/2 \n" ); document.write( "x^2+40x -19700=0 \n" ); document.write( "discriminant = 80,400 \n" ); document.write( "x1= (-40+sqrt*80400))/2 \n" ); document.write( "x1= 121.77 \n" ); document.write( "vertical distance = 121 \n" ); document.write( "horizontal distnace = 161 \n" ); document.write( "x2 will be negative so ignore \n" ); document.write( ".. \n" ); document.write( "m.ananth@hotmail.ca \n" ); document.write( " |