SOLUTION: a wire supporting a pole is fastened to it 20 feet from the ground and to the ground 15 feet from the pole. Determine the length of the wire and the angle it makes with the pole.

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Question 702260: a wire supporting a pole is fastened to it 20 feet from the ground and to the ground 15 feet from the pole. Determine the length of the wire and the angle it makes with the pole.
Answer by josgarithmetic(39630) About Me  (Show Source):
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a wire supporting a pole is fastened to it 20 feet from the ground [vertical leg of triangle is 20 feet] and to the ground 15 feet from the pole [horizontal leg of triangle is 15 feet]. Determine the length of the wire and the angle it makes with the pole.
The pole make a right angle with the ground, so this is a right triangle.
If w is length of the wire, then 20%5E2%2B15%5E2=w%5E2, find w.



The angle between pole and the wire is the angle at the top of the triangle.
Tan(angle)=15/20