document.write( "Question 494807: a bamboo pole leans against a wall with it's base 15m from the wall when the pole is pulled 9m farther away from the wall the upper end slides down, 13m. Find the length of the pole. \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #335836 by Gogonati(855) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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Since the length of the pole is unchanged, using the Pythagorean Theorem we write:\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " $\"x%5E2%2B15%5E2=%28x-13%29%5E2%2B%2815%2B9%29%5E2\"$ , where x is the initial height of the wall.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Solving this equation we get: $\"x%5E2%2B225=x%5E2-26x%2B169%2B576\"$ => x=20.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Since the initial height of the wall was 20 m, using Pythagorean theorem we get the length of the pole:\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " $\"sqrt%2820%5E2%2B15%5E2%29=sqrt%28400%2B225%29=sqrt%28625%29=25+m\"$ \n" ); document.write( "

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