Question 159553: A pole 13 meter long leans against a wall. The bottom of the pole is 5 meter from the wall. If the bottom of the pole is pulled away x centimeter so that the top slides down by the same amount, find x. please show the solution. thank you
Answer by stanbon(75887)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! A pole 13 meter long leans against a wall. The bottom of the pole is 5 meter from the wall. If the bottom of the pole is pulled away x centimeter so that the top slides down by the same amount, find x.
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Draw the original picture.
Before moving the ladder the sides of the triangle were: 5,h,and 13
h^2 = 13^2-5^2
h^2 = 144
h = 12 meters
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Draw the new picture; it is a right triangle with a base of (5-x) and a
height of (12-x) and a hypotenuse of 13 meters.
Use Pythagoras to solve for "x":
(5-x)^2 + (12-x)^2 = 13^2
I'll leave the solving to you.
Cheers,
Stan H.
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