Question 649450
A flag is raised while an onlooker watches from a distance of 17 feet away
 from the base of the flag pole.
 The flag rises vertically at a rate of 5 inches per second.
 Let t denote the time (in seconds) after the flag begins to rise
 (For simplicity, assume that when the flag begins to rise it is 0 inches
 above the ground).
 Express the distance d (in feet) between the flag and the onlooker as a function of t. 
:
Change 5 inches to {{{5/12}}} ft
:
Use the pythag: c^2 = a^2 + b^2, in this problem
a = {{{5/12}}}t
b = 17
c = d
:
d^2 = ({{{5/12}}}t)^2 + 17^2
d = {{{sqrt((25/144)t^2 + 289)}}}