Question

A flagpole has a height of 16 yards. It will be supported by three 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 9 yards from the base of the pole. Find the total number of yards of cable that will be required.

Answer 1

Cables are forming 3 right angled triangles the pole being the shared height of them;

(height) b= 12yd
(base) a= 9yd
(hypotenuse) c= ?
Need to find the long side (hypotenuse);

a^2 + b^2 = c^2

12^2 + 9^2 = 225
Take square root of 225 = 15
Then you have;

1x 12yd = 12
3x 9 yd = 27
3x 15yd = 45

Add them up = 84yd of cable needed

Answer 2

Answer: There are 45 yards of cable that will be required.

Step-by-step explanation:

Since we have given that

Height of cable = 16 yards - 4 yards = 12 yards

Distance from pole = 9 yards

cable is the hypotenuse of the right angled triangle.

So, it becomes,

$c^2=b^2+p^2\\\\c^2=1262+9^2\\\\c^2=144+81\\\\c^2=225\\\\c=\sqrt{225}\\\\c=15\ yards$

Since , number of cable supported = 3

So, Number of yards of cable that will be required would be

$3\times 15\\\\=45\ yards$

Hence, there are 45 yards of cable that will be required.