Question

A guy wire attached to a vertical pole of height 18 m is 24 m long and has a stake attached to the other end. How far from the base of the pole should the stake be driven so that the wire will be taut?

Answer 1

Length of wire = AC = 24 m

Height of the pole = AB = 18 m

Let Distance between the base of the pole and other end of the wire = BC = x m

In right ∆ABC,

By Pythagoras Theorem:

AC² = AB² + BC²

(24)² = (18)² + x²

576 = 324 + x²

x² = 576 – 324 = 252

or x = 15.8 m

BC is 15.8 m.