Chapter 0.7, Problem 16E

To determine

To evaluate: if triangle is a right triangle.

Answer to Problem 16E

The distance from her feet to the top of the pole is 33.54 feet.

Explanation of Solution

Given information:

It is given that Mai-Lin wants to find the distance from her feet to the top of the flagpole.

It is given that length of flagpole is 30 feet and Mai-Lin is standing a distance of 15 feet from the flagpole.

The following diagram is given in the problem,

  

Applying Pythagoras theorem to find the distance from her feet to the top of the pole,

So,

  $\begin{array}{c}{\left(a\right)}^2+{\left(\text{b}\right)}^2={\left(\text{c}\right)}^2\\ {15}^2+{30}^2=c^2\\ 225+900=c^2\\ 1125f{t}^2=c^2\\ c=33.54feet\end{array}$

So,

The distance from her feet to the top of the pole is 33.54 feet.