Given
A guy wire attached to a vertical pole of height 18 m is 24 m long and has a stake attached to the other end.
Find out
The distance of the foot of the ladder from the base of the wall.
Solution
AB is pole = 18m
AC is wire = 24m
BC = ?
In right ∆ABC, by Pythagoras theorem
(AC)2 = (AB)2 + (BC)2
(24)2 = (18)2 + (BC)2
576 = 324 + (BC)2
576 – 324 = (BC)2
252 = (BC)2
√252 = BC
√(2 * 2 * 3 * 3 * 7) = BC
2 * 3√7 = BC
6√7 = BC
∴ Hence, the stake may be placed at distance of 6√7 from the base of the pole.