Question

Two poles of heights $6$ m and $11$ m stand vertically on a plane ground. If the distance between their feet is $12$ m , find the distance between their tips.

Answer 1

Consider the system as a right triangle, where distance between the tips of poles is hypotenuse, the distance between their feet is the base and the difference in their lengths is the perpendicular. Thus,
Base, B = 12 m
Perpendicular , P = 11 - 6 = 5 m
By Pythagoras theorem,
$H^2=P^2+B^2$
$H^2=5^2+{12}^2$
$H^2=169$
$H=13$ m
Thus, distance between their tips is 13 m.