Question

3. Janet is flying a kite on a string that is 75m long. The kite is 62m above the ground. Estimate the distance between Janet and the spot on the ground directly beneath the kite.
(a) Draw a diagram showing Janet and the kite.
(b) What is the length of the string of the kite?
Answer:

Answer 1

Answer: a) It will be a right triangle with a hypotenuse of 75 and a vertical leg that is 62. 
b) The length of the kite string is 75 (given in the problem). However, I believe you are looking for the distance from the spot on the ground beneath the kite to Janet. That is about 42.2 m.

To find the missing distance in the right triangle. You have to use the Pythagorean Theorem.  I set it up and solve it below.

a^2 + b^2 = c^2
x^2 + 62^2 = 75^2
x^2 + 3844 = 5625
x^2 = 1781
x = 42.2 (about)