document.write( "Question 714769: Elliott street is 24ft wide when it ends at main street in brattleboro, vermont, a 40 ft long diagonal crosswalk allows pedestrians to cross main street to or from either corner of elliott street. determine the width of main street \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #439195 by KMST(5328)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Another way to solve it: Use Pythagoras.
\n" ); document.write( " Pythagoras says \"x%5E2%2B24%5E2=40%5E2\" --> \"x=sqrt%2840%5E2-24%5E2%29\"
\n" ); document.write( "That \"x\" can be calculated many different ways,
\n" ); document.write( "with more or less difficulty,
\n" ); document.write( "using pencil and paper, or a calculator.
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "However, mental math is easy if we think of similar (scaled up or down) right triangles.
\n" ); document.write( "The numbers 3, 4, and 5 form the most popular of Pythagorean triples,
\n" ); document.write( "sets of three positive integers that satisfy the Pythagorean equation,
\n" ); document.write( "and can be the lengths of the sides of a right triangle.
\n" ); document.write( "Triangles with sides measuring 3, 4, and 5
\n" ); document.write( "(and scaled-up versions) are used a lot in math problems.
\n" ); document.write( "The right triangle in this problem is similar to all 3-4-5 right triangles
\n" ); document.write( "(right triangles whose sides' lengths are in the ratio 3:4:5).
\n" ); document.write( "This triangle's known side lengths (in feet) are \"8%2A5=40\" and \"8%2A3=24\".
\n" ); document.write( "The missing side length should be \"8%2A4=32\" feet.
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "The harder ways to the calculation:
\n" ); document.write( "\"x=sqrt%2840%5E2-24%5E2%29\" --> \"x=sqrt%281600-576%29\" --> \"x=sqrt%281024%29\" --> \"x=32\"
\n" ); document.write( "maybe with
\n" ); document.write( "\"x=sqrt%281024%29\" --> \"x=2%5E10\"\"x=2%5E5\" --> \"x=32\"
\n" ); document.write( "Or
\n" ); document.write( "\"x=sqrt%2840%5E2-24%5E2%29\" --> \"x=sqrt%28%288%2A5%29%5E2-8%2A3%29%5E2%29\" --> \"x=sqrt%288%5E2%2A5%5E2-8%5E2%2A3%5E2%29\" --> \"x=sqrt%288%5E2%2A%285%5E2-3%5E2%29%29\" --> \"x=sqrt%288%5E2%29%2Asqrt%285%5E2-3%5E2%29\" --> \"x=8%2Asqrt%285%5E2-3%5E2%29\" --> \"x=8%2Asqrt%2825-9%29\" --> \"x=8%2Asqrt%2816%29\" --> \"x=8%2A4\" --> \"x=32\" \n" ); document.write( "
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