document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=78513>Question 78513</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> A 20 foot tall telephone pole is at a right angle with the ground. A 25 foot wire is to be attached from the top of the pole to a point on the ground so the wire is taught.  How far from the base of the pole would the wire be attached?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Thanks~ </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #56315 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=tutor_paul><B>tutor_paul(519)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-10.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=tutor_paul><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=tutor_paul><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=56315\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> This is a trigonometry problem. They are asking you to solve for one<BR>\n" );
document.write( "side of the triangle when two other sides are known.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The Pythagorean theorem is <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5E2%2Bb%5E2=c%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5E2%2Bb%5E2=c%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > where c is the hypotenuese<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(the side of the triangle opposite the right angle) while a and b are<BR>\n" );
document.write( "the other sides.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "In this case, the hypotenuese (c) is 25 and one of the other sides (a) is 20.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "so, via the Pythagorean theorem:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=25%5E2=20%5E2%2Bb%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"25%5E2=20%5E2%2Bb%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Solve for b:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b%5E2=25%5E2-20%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b%5E2=25%5E2-20%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b%5E2=625-400 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b%5E2=625-400\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b%5E2=225 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b%5E2=225\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b=15 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b=15\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "An easier way to think about this is to recognize that this is really what we<BR>\n" );
document.write( "call a \"3-4-5 times 5\" right triangle. In other words, one side is 3, another<BR>\n" );
document.write( "is 4 and the hypotenuse is 5, all multiplied by 5. If you recognize that, you<BR>\n" );
document.write( "right away that the unknown side is just 3*5 or 15.  </SPAN>\n" );
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