Question

Two vertical poles of height 9m and 14m stand on a plane ground. If the distance between their feet is 12m, find the distance between their tops.

Answer 1

Let the two poles be DE and AB and the distance between their bases be BE. 

We have: 

DE = 9 m, AB = 14 m and BE = 12 m 

Draw a line parallel to BE from D, meeting AB at C. 

Then, DC = 12 m and AC = 5 m 

We need to find AD, the distance between their tops.

Hence, the distance between the tops to the two poles is 13 m.