Question

What length of wire cable is needed to make a stay for a pole 6.2m tall, if the wire is to be fixed to a bolt set into the ground 4.2 m away from the base of the pole? The wire is taut, From the bolt to the top of the pole.

Answer 1

7.49 m

Step-by-step explanation:

We can represent the situation with the following figure:

So, the length of the wire will be equal to the hypotenuse of the formed triangle. This hypotenuse can be calculated using the Pythagorean theorem, so:

`\begin{gathered} Hypotenuse\text{ = }\sqrt[]{4.2^2+6.2^2} \\ Hypotenuse\text{ =}\sqrt[]{17.64+38.44} \\ Hypotenuse\text{ =}\sqrt[]{56.08} \\ Hypotenuse\text{ =}7.49\text{ m} \end{gathered}`

Therefore, the length of the wire cable needed is 7.49 m.