Answer:
(C) 245 miles
Step-by-step explanation:
We can view the starting and ending flight points as the hypotenuse of a right-angle triangle. Since the plane flew 125 miles south, the height of the triangle is 125 and we are given the hypotenuse as 275
If we designate the height as a and the hypotenuse as h, and the base as b then
h² = a² + b² by the Pythagorean theorem
or
b² = h² - a² ==> (h + a)(h - a) {x² - y² = (x + y) (x -y)}
Substituting known values
b² = 275² - 125² = (275 + 125)(275-125) = 400 x 150 = 60,000
b = √60000 = 244.94 and the closest answer is C: 245 miles
