Question

A guy wire runs from the top of a cell tower to a metal stake in the ground. Lincoln places a 10-foot tall pole to support the guy wire. After placing the pole, Lincoln measures the distance from the stake to the pole to be 5 ft. He then measures the distance from the pole to the tower to be 14 ft. Find the length of the guy wire, to the nearest foot.

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

2 right triangles are formed.

x is the angle btw wire and grnd

tan x = 10/5 = 2

tanx = ht of tower/(5+14)

2 = tower ht/19

tower ht = 38

length of wire =

$\sqrt{ {38}^{2} + {19}^{2} }$