Question 1170789
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A tree is supported by a wire anchored at the ground 8m from its base. 
The wire is 4m longer than the height that it reaches on the tree, find the length of the wire.
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<pre>
In this problem, you have a right angled triangle with the hypotenuse x meters (now unknown)

and the legs of 8 meters and (x-4) meters.


Write Pythagorean equation

    x^2 = (x-4)^2 + 8^2.


Simplify and find x

    x^2 = x^2 - 8x + 16 + 64,

    8x = 80

     x = 80/8 = 10.


<U>ANSWER</U>.  The length of the wire is 10 meters.
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Solved.