document.write( "Question 378118: Lightning hit a tree three-eighths of the distance up the trunk from the ground and broke the tree so that its top landed 40 feet from the base of the trunk as shown. How tall was the tree originally? Show all work. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #268651 by mananth(16946)\"\" \"About 
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let height of tree be x feet
\n" ); document.write( "lightening struck 3x/8 up the tree and broke
\n" ); document.write( "Balance 5x/8 fell such that top was 40 feet from base.
\n" ); document.write( "5x/8 = hypotenuse
\n" ); document.write( "one leg = 40
\n" ); document.write( "other leg = 3x/8
\n" ); document.write( "...
\n" ); document.write( "apply Pythagoras theorem
\n" ); document.write( "...
\n" ); document.write( "(5x/8)^2= 40^2+(3x/8)^2
\n" ); document.write( "25x^2/64 = 1600 +9x^2/64
\n" ); document.write( "-9x^2/64
\n" ); document.write( "25x^2/64 -9x^2/64 = 1600
\n" ); document.write( "(25x^2-9x^2)/64 =1600
\n" ); document.write( "multiply by 64
\n" ); document.write( "16x^2=64*1600
\n" ); document.write( "/16
\n" ); document.write( "x^2=64*1600/16
\n" ); document.write( "x^2=4*1600
\n" ); document.write( "take the square root
\n" ); document.write( "x= sqrt(4*1600)
\n" ); document.write( "x=2*40
\n" ); document.write( "x=80 feet the height of the tree.
\n" ); document.write( "...
\n" ); document.write( "m.ananth@hotmail.ca\r
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