Question

A new pipeline is being created to shorten the distance it has to travel to get from point A to point B. The original pipeline ran at a 90 angle from point A to point B and was 20 miles on one side and 15 miles on the other. The new pipeline go straight from A to B. How much shorter will the new pipeline be?

Answer 1

so use pythagorean theorem where
a^2+b^2=c^2
a and b are legs
c=hypotonuse
in a right triangle

90 degrees=right riangle
so we have 20 and 15
these are the legs
subsitute
20^2+15^2=c^2
400+225=c^2
add
625=c^2
square root both sides
25=c
new pipe=25
how much shorter
old=20+15=35
how much shorter is 25 than 35
35-25=10
answer is 10 miles