Questions concerting a guy wire from the new guy .

[Isucnmath]

Hey ya'll ! Im new to the site . This is a nice site you guys have set up here ! Here is a problem I am having

Directions: Write a quadratic equation for this problem.

Ok here is my question , A guy wire is needed to hold a power pole in a vertical position. If the pole is 16 feet high and the guy wire is to be connected to the top of the pole from a point 12 feet from the base of the pole , how long must the guy wire ?

 

[Guest]

The wire, the pole, and the ground form a right triangle. The ground is one leg, the pole is the other leg, and the wire is the hypotenuse. You know the length of the ground and the pole, and you need the wire. So you know the two legs, and you need the hypotenuse. How do you find the hypotenuse of a right triangle, given the two legs?

 

[Isucnmath]

Thank you Alex