document.write( "Question 948661: a wire is attached to the top of a pole. the wire is 1 ft longer than the pole, and the distance from the wire on the ground to the bottom of the pole is 1 ft less than the height of the pole. find the length of the wire and the height of the pole \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #579091 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)\"\" \"About 
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a wire is attached to the top of a pole.
\n" ); document.write( " the wire is 1 ft longer than the pole, and the distance from the wire on the ground to the bottom of the pole is 1 ft less than the height of the pole.
\n" ); document.write( " find the length of the wire and the height of the pole
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Let p = height of the pole
\n" ); document.write( "then
\n" ); document.write( "(p+1) = the length of the wire
\n" ); document.write( "and
\n" ); document.write( "(p-1) = distance from the pole to the wire at the ground
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "The wire, pole and ground form a right triangle
\n" ); document.write( "Using pythag; a^2 + b^2 = c^2, where
\n" ); document.write( "a = p
\n" ); document.write( "b = (p-1)
\n" ); document.write( "c = (p+1), the wire
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "p^2 + (p-1)^2 = (p+1)^2
\n" ); document.write( "p^2 + p^2 - 2b + 1 = p^2 + 2b +1
\n" ); document.write( "Collect like terms on the left
\n" ); document.write( "p^2 + p^2 - p^2 - 2b -2b + 1 - 1 = 0
\n" ); document.write( "p^2 - 4p = 0
\n" ); document.write( "p(p - 4) = 0
\n" ); document.write( "p = 4 ft is the height of the pole
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( ";
\n" ); document.write( "Check this 4^2 + 3^2 = 5^2 \n" ); document.write( "
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