document.write( "Question 548519: A 20-ft 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 4 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 #357035 by stanbon(75887)\"\" \"About 
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A 20-ft 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 4 ft longer than the height that it reaches on the side of the bridge. Find the horizontal and vertical distances spanned by this brace.
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\n" ); document.write( "Draw the picture:
\n" ); document.write( "You have a right triangle with:
\n" ); document.write( "hypotenuse = 20 ft
\n" ); document.write( "height = x
\n" ); document.write( "base = x+4
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\n" ); document.write( "Equation:
\n" ); document.write( "x^2 + (x+4)^2 = 20^2
\n" ); document.write( "x^2 + x^2 + 8x + 8 = 400
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\n" ); document.write( "2x^2 + 8x - 392 = 0
\n" ); document.write( "x^2 + 4x - 196 = 0
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\n" ); document.write( "I graphed the quadratic and found x = 12.14 ft (height)
\n" ); document.write( "base = x+4 = 16.14 ft.
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\n" ); document.write( "You could use the quadratic formula.
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\n" ); document.write( "Cheers,
\n" ); document.write( "Stan H.
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