Question

A wire is run between the tops of two poles. One pole is 23 feet taller than the other pole. The poles are 37 feet apart. How long does the wire need to be to reach between the two poles?

Answer 1

43.6

Explanation:

Answer 2

43.6 feet

Explanation:

The Pythagorean theorem is useful for finding the hypotenuse of a right triangle whose legs are known. Our triangle has a height of 23 feet and a base of 37 feet. Its hypotenuse, the length of the wire, is ...

d = √(23² +37²) = √(529 +1369) = √1898

d ≈ 43.56604 . . . feet

The distance between the tops of the poles is about 43.6 feet.