How tall is the flagpole?

Question

You are standing 35 feet from a flagpole, holding onto the 42-foot string that is attached to the top of the pole. How tall is the flagpole? If necessary, round to the tenths place.

1. This has to do with the Pythagorean Theorem.
2. I am confused because I don't know how to label the triangle I draw- like which number represents a, b, or c.
3. Please help!

Answer 1

Ok, the hypotenuse is always c (that's the longest side, across from the right angle). For the other two sides, it doesn't matter which one is a and which one is b. So, for this problem, the 42 foot string is the hypotenuse, or c, the 35 foot distance from the flagpole is one side, or a, and the flagpole is the other side, or b.

a^2 + b^2 = c^2

(35)^2 + b^2 = (42)^2

Solve for b.

Answer 2

That is correct...

THe right triangle is:

You are standing 35 feet from the flagpole ---> leg1 = 35

THe string is 42 feet ----> hypotenuse is 42

The height of the flag pole is Leg #2 = x <--- what we are trying to find

Pythagorean theorem says:

35^2 + x^2 = 42^2

1225 + x^2 = 1764

x^2 = 539

x = 23.2