Question

Two telephone poles are 90 feet apart and the poles are each 60 feet tall. What is the distance from the base of one pole to the top of the other pole (in feet)?

Answer 1

Answer: The distance from the base of one pole to the top of the other pole is approximately 108.17 feet

Explanation:

The scenario is shown in the attached photo. Two congruent right angle triangles, ABC and BAD are formed. Since the triangles are the same, we would consider only one of them.

Let the distance from the base of one pole to the top of the other pole be x feet.

Considering triangle ABC,

Hypotenuse = x feet

Opposite side = 60 feet

Adjacent side = 90 feet

Applying Pythagoras theorem,

Hypotenuse^2 = Opposite^2 + Adjacent ^2

This becomes

x^2 = 60^2 + 90^2

x^2 = 3600 + 8100 = 11700

x = √11700 = 108.16653826392

Approximately 108.17 feet