Problema Solution

A wire is stretched from the ground to the top of an antenna tower. The wire is 1717 feet long. The height of the tower is 77 ft greater than the distance d from the​ tower's base to the end of the wire. Find the distance d and the height of the tower.

Answer provided by our tutors

d = distance from the​ tower's base to the end of the wire

d + 77 = the height of the tower

1,717 ft = the length of the wire

Using the Pythagorean Theorem we can write:

d^2 + (d + 77)^2 = 1717^2

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click here to see the equation solved for d

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d = 1,175 ft

1,175 + 77 = 1,252 ft

The distance d is 1,175 feet approximately.

The height of the tower is 1,252 feet.