SOLUTION: A pole is broken by the storm of wind and its top struck the ground at an angle 30° and at a distance of 20m from the foot of the pole. The height of the pole before it was brok

Algebra ->  Pythagorean-theorem -> SOLUTION: A pole is broken by the storm of wind and its top struck the ground at an angle 30° and at a distance of 20m from the foot of the pole. The height of the pole before it was brok      Log On


   

Question 1001689: A pole is broken by the storm of wind and its top struck the ground at an angle
30° and at a distance of 20m from the foot of the pole. The height of the pole
before it was broken was?
Answer by josgarithmetic(39617) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
You know a leg and the hypotenuse. The hypotenuse plus the other leg is the length of the pole before breaking.

r, the broken piece;
r%2Acos%2830%29=20
r=20%2Fcos%2830%29

The other leg, still sticking vertically from the ground is r%2Asin%2830%29.

Put all together, the pole before breaking is highlight%2820%2Fcos%2830%29%2B%2820%2Fcos%2830%29%29%2Asin%2830%29%29. Compute that.