document.write( "Question 401448: Okay THe question is there is a 50 foot flag pole that has snapped and fallen down and the tip lays 40 feet from the base, how much of the pole is left standing * the pictures shows a right triangle,, i have no clue how to solve this problem.. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #284108 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)\"\" \"About 
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there is a 50 foot flag pole that has snapped and fallen down and the tip lays 40 feet from the base, how much of the pole is left standing
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\n" ); document.write( "This is a right triangle problem a^2 + b^2 = c^2
\n" ); document.write( "Let a = amt of pole left standing
\n" ); document.write( "Let b = 40 ft distance from the base of the pole to the tip of the fallen part
\n" ); document.write( "Let c = the hypotenuse (the broken part from the pole to the ground
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\n" ); document.write( "a^2 + 40^2 = c^2
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\n" ); document.write( "The pole is 50' high, therefore
\n" ); document.write( "c = (50-a)
\n" ); document.write( "therefore
\n" ); document.write( "a^2 + 40^2 = (50-a)^2
\n" ); document.write( "a^2 + 1600 = 2500 - 100a + a^2
\n" ); document.write( "a^2 - a^2 + 100a = 2500 - 1600
\n" ); document.write( "100a = 900
\n" ); document.write( "a = 900/100
\n" ); document.write( "a = 9 ft of the pole is left standing
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\n" ); document.write( "Check this, the hypotenuse will be 50 - 9 = 41 ft
\n" ); document.write( "9^2 + 40^2 = 41^2
\n" ); document.write( "81 + 1600 = 1681; confirms our solution of a = 9 \n" ); document.write( "
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