Answer:
a) 24 m
b) 40 m
Explanation:
a) If an altitude is drawn to the hypotenuse of a right triangle, then the altitude is the geometric mean between the segments on the hypotenuse. Let x represent the altitude (the distance from the beach to the parking lot). Since we have similar triangles:
![(18)/(x) = (x)/(32)](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/high-school/vfv9zzz7mfj3ogu1iyxtwv4xeqr9x9rn2y.png)
![{x}^(2) = 576](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/high-school/huepwepo9fjvaf2mmptfhys53ng7v8noef.png)
![x = 24](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/erbq5e6s4s5z2k1zqrti21jfbjlsdqs59i.png)
b) Using the Pythagorean theorem, the distance from the beach to the replacement stand is
![\sqrt{ {24}^(2) + {32}^(2) } = √(576 + 1024) = √(1600) = 40](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/high-school/ets2q1whb5jcjse92ozcnxyihmrjmk2iwh.png)