SOLUTION: A 50 foot tower is to be fastened by five guy wires attached to the top of the tower and to the ground at position 25 feet from its base. How much wire is needed? round to the near

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Question 799184: A 50 foot tower is to be fastened by five guy wires attached to the top of the tower and to the ground at position 25 feet from its base. How much wire is needed? round to the nearest tenth.
Found 2 solutions by mananth, harpazo:
Answer by mananth(16946) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The wire,ground and pole form a right triangle
Apply Pythagoras theorem
50^2+25^2= wire length^2
3125 = l^2
l=55.9 neters
5 wires
5*55.9 =279.5 meters

Answer by harpazo(655) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
(height of tower)^2 + (distance from base of building)^2 = (length of guy wire)^2

(50)^2 + (25)^2 = x^2
2500 + 625 = x^2
3125 = x^2
sqrt{3125} = sqrt{x^2}
55.90 = x
The guy wire should be about 55.9 feet.