document.write( "Question 476553: Imagine a pole stuck in the ground in such a way that it sticks up perpendicularly and 12 ft of it is showing. Then, all of a sudden the wind knocks the top off and the top touches 4ft from the base. The top is partial attached. How high is the break? i am having trouble setting this problem up \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #326738 by lwsshak3(11628)\"\" \"About 
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Imagine a pole stuck in the ground in such a way that it sticks up perpendicularly and 12 ft of it is showing. Then, all of a sudden the wind knocks the top off and the top touches 4ft from the base. The top is partial attached. How high is the break? i am having trouble setting this problem up.
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\n" ); document.write( "Draw a right triangle with the horizontal leg=4 ft, and the vertical leg=x, and the hypotenuse=y. x is the remaining portion of the stick that is still standing, and the hypotenuse (y) is the piece that broke off, the top of which touches the ground 4 ft from the base.
\n" ); document.write( "..
\n" ); document.write( "x+y=12
\n" ); document.write( "y^2-4^2=x^2
\n" ); document.write( "y=12-x
\n" ); document.write( "(12-x)^2-16=x^2
\n" ); document.write( "144-24x+x^2-16=x^2
\n" ); document.write( "24x=144-16=128
\n" ); document.write( "x=128/24=16/3 ft
\n" ); document.write( "ans:
\n" ); document.write( "The break is 16/3 ft above the ground \n" ); document.write( "
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