Question 378118
let height of tree be x feet
lightening struck 3x/8 up the tree and broke
Balance 5x/8 fell such that top was 40 feet from base.
5x/8 = hypotenuse
one leg = 40
other leg = 3x/8
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apply Pythagoras theorem
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(5x/8)^2= 40^2+(3x/8)^2
25x^2/64 = 1600 +9x^2/64
-9x^2/64
25x^2/64 -9x^2/64 = 1600
(25x^2-9x^2)/64 =1600
multiply by 64
16x^2=64*1600
/16
x^2=64*1600/16
x^2=4*1600
take the square root
x= sqrt(4*1600)
x=2*40
x=80 feet the height of the tree.
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m.ananth@hotmail.ca