document.write( "Question 407818: I am looking for some help with this math problem. Thank you.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "A 5ft 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 1 ft longer than 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 #287437 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)\"\" \"About 
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A 5ft diagonal brace on a bridge connects a support of the center of the bridge to a side support on the bridge.
\n" ); document.write( " The horizontal distance that it spans is 1 ft longer than the height that it
\n" ); document.write( " reaches on the side of the bridge.
\n" ); document.write( " Find the horizontal and vertical distances spanned by this brace.
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "This just a pythag problem where
\n" ); document.write( "x = vert portion of the brace
\n" ); document.write( "(x+1) = the horizontal portion
\n" ); document.write( "5 ft is the hypotenuse
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "x^2 + (x+1)^2 = 5^2
\n" ); document.write( "x^2 + x^2 + 2x + 1 = 25
\n" ); document.write( "2x^2 + 2x + 1 - 25 = 0
\n" ); document.write( "2x^2 + 2x - 24 = 0
\n" ); document.write( "simplify, divide by 2
\n" ); document.write( "x^2 + x - 12 = 0
\n" ); document.write( "Factor this to
\n" ); document.write( "(x+4)(x-3) = 0
\n" ); document.write( "positive solution
\n" ); document.write( "x = 3 ft, the vert portion
\n" ); document.write( "and
\n" ); document.write( "3 + 1 = 4 ft, is the horizontal span of the brace \n" ); document.write( "
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