Question

A flagpole has a height of 10 yards. It will be supported by 3 cables, each of which is attached to the flagpole at a point 4 yards below the top of the pole and attached to the ground at a point that is 8 yards from the base of the pole. Find the total number of yards of cable that will be required.

Answer 1

Pytagorean theorem

height10
attached at 10-4=6 yards from bottom
8 yards from base to away


a^2+b^2=c^2
a and b are side legnths and c=hypotonuse
so therfore we are given a and b and we must solve for c


so
6=height
8=base

6^2+8^2=c^2
36+64=c^2
100=c^2
square root
10=c

so therfor the legnth of each cable is 10 yards
3 cables so 3 times 10=30

30 yards needed