# A pole has two wires attached to it, one on

A pole has two wires attached to it, one on each side, forming two right triangles as shown.

• Questions are typically answered in as fast as 30 minutes

### Solve your problem for the price of one coffee

• Math expert for every subject
• Pay only if we can solve it

Marlene Broomfield

Step 1
Given that:
A pole has two wires attached to it, one on side forming two right triangles as shown,
From the figure,
Length of pole = OB
$$\displaystyle\angle{O}{A}{B}={41}^{{\circ}}$$
$$\displaystyle\angle{O}{B}{A}={90}^{{\circ}}$$
$$\displaystyle{A}{B}={34}{f}{t}$$
length of wire 1= OA
Step2
Part A
To calculate the length of pole,
In $$\triangle OAB$$,
$$\displaystyle{\frac{{{P}{e}{r}{p}{e}{n}{d}{i}{c}ul{{a}}{r}}}{{{B}{a}{s}{e}}}}={\tan{{\left({41}^{{\circ}}\right)}}}$$
$$\displaystyle{\frac{{{O}{B}}}{{{A}{B}}}}={\tan{{\left({41}^{{\circ}}\right)}}}$$
$$\displaystyle{O}{B}={A}{B}\times{\tan{{\left({41}^{{\circ}}\right)}}}$$
$$\displaystyle={34}\times{\tan{{\left({41}^{{\circ}}\right)}}}$$
$$\displaystyle={29.56}{f}{t}$$
Hence the poll is 29.56 ft tall
Step3
Part B
To calculate the length of wire 1,
Apply Pythagoras theorem in triangle OAB,
In $$\triangle OAB$$,
$$\displaystyle{\left({O}{A}\right)}^{{{2}}}={\left({O}{B}\right)}^{{{2}}}+{\left({A}{B}\right)}^{{{2}}}$$
$$\displaystyle={\left({29.56}\right)}^{{{2}}}+{\left({34}\right)}^{{{2}}}$$
$$\displaystyle={873.7936}+{1156}$$
$$\displaystyle{\left({O}{A}\right)}^{{{2}}}={2029.7936}$$
$$\displaystyle{O}{A}=\sqrt{{{2029.7936}}}$$
$$\displaystyle{O}{A}={45.05}{f}{t}$$
Hence wire 1 is 45.05 ft long