Problema Solution
A 140-ft signal tower sits on the roof of a tall building. For support, a guy wire is attached to the top of the tower and anchored to the roof. The length of the wire is 44 feet more than three times the distance between the anchor and the base of the tower. How long is the wire?
Answer provided by our tutors
Let 'x' represent the distance between the anchor and the base of the tower, x>0.
Then the length of the wire is c = 44 + 3x.
Using the Pythagorean Theorem we can write:
x^2 + 140^2 = c^2
x^2 + 140^2 = (44 + 3x)^2
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click here to see the equation solved for x
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x = 33.3 ft approximately
44 + 3*33.3 = 143.9 ft approximately
The wire is 143.9 ft approximately long.