A monkey is chained to a stake in the ground. The stake is 2.85 m from a vertical pole, and the chain is 3.68 m long. How high can the monkey climb up the pole?

Question

I guess it will help if you draw it, but I still don't understand. I tried using pythag but i got the wrong answer of 5.4199. 

Answer 1

Hi Victoria,

 

You're right - a picture is worth a thousand words !!

 

Below is a clickable link to view a diagram for our problem:

 

https://dl.dropbox.com/s/z2tnpibfm9nl70q/clip.png?raw=1

 

Referring to our diagram (right triangle ABC):

    1.  Hypotenuse AC is the length of the chain.

    2.  Leg BC is distance from the stake to the pole.

    3.  Leg AB (h) is the height of the pole and how high the monkey can climb.

 

You were correct in using the Pythagorean theorem.  Our equation to find h:

    h² + (2.85)² = (3.68)²

 

Solving for h:

    h² = (3.68)² - (2.85)²

    h² = 13.5424 - 8.1225

    h² = 5.4199

    h = √5.4199

    h = 2.33 m (rounded to nearest hundredth)  

 

You were almost right for your answer !!  Just missed the last step of taking the square root of 5.4199.

 

Thanks for submitting this problem and glad to help with that last step.

 

God bless, Jordan. 

Answer 2

The hypotenuse is 3.68

 

3.68² = 2.85² + x²

14.8669 = 8.1225 + x²

6.7444 = x²

2.59699827 ≈ x

 

The monkey can climb about 2.6 feet up the pole