document.write( "Question 995545: A cable suspended between two posts that are the same height and 10 meters apart has a sag of 1 meter. If the cable hangs in the form of a parabola, find its equation, taking the lowest point as the origin. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #614290 by stanbon(75887)\"\" \"About 
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A cable suspended between two posts that are the same height and 10 meters apart has a sag of 1 meter. If the cable hangs in the form of a parabola, find its equation, taking the lowest point as the origin.
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\n" ); document.write( "Sketch the figure on an x/y coordinate system.
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\n" ); document.write( "Place the lowest point at (0,0)
\n" ); document.write( "The top of the posts will be at (-5,10) and (5,10)
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\n" ); document.write( "Procedure::
\n" ); document.write( "Form:: ax^2 + bx + c = y
\n" ); document.write( "Using (-5,10) you get: 25a - 5b = 10
\n" ); document.write( "Using (5,10) you get: 25a + 5b = 10
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\n" ); document.write( "50a = 20
\n" ); document.write( "a = 2/5
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\n" ); document.write( "Solve for \"b\"::
\n" ); document.write( "25a + 5b = 10
\n" ); document.write( "25a + 2 = 10
\n" ); document.write( "25a = 8
\n" ); document.write( "a = 8/25
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\n" ); document.write( "Equation:
\n" ); document.write( "y = (8/25)x^2 + (2/5)x
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\n" ); document.write( "Cheers,
\n" ); document.write( "Stan H.
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