Question

a rectangular ponds refectuons in a part is 16 feet long. The maintenance crew placed a string of flags 20 feet long across the pond diagonally as shown below. What is the width of the pond​

Answer 1

Answer:

width = 12 ft

Step-by-step explanation:

Given the figure of the pond and the fact that the corners form a right triangle that is across from the string of flags, you can use the Pythagorean Theorem to solve for the width of the triangle that is formed by the flags:

a² + b² = c², where 'a' and 'b' represent the legs of the triangle and 'c' represents the diagonal or hypotenuse.  Using 16 for 'a' and 20 for 'c':

16² + b² = 20²

256 + b² = 400

Subtract 256 from both sides: 256 - 256 + b² = 400 - 256 or b² = 144

Take the square root of both sides:  √b² = √144  or b = 12 ft