If 3 feet of slack is required on each​ end, how long a piece of wire should be​ purchased?

Question

A stereo receiver is in a corner of a 17​-ft by 15​-ft room. Speaker wire will run under a​ rug, diagonally, to a speaker in the far corner. If 3 feet of slack is required on each​ end, how long a piece of wire should be​ purchased?

The wire should be ____ feet long. (round to nearest foot)

Answer 1

Pythagorean Theorem. a² + b² = C²

With C² always = the length of the hypotenuse (diagonal).

17² + 15² = C²

289 + 225= C²

514=C²

√514= C

22.672= C

*Add 3 feet of slack on each end

22.672 + 6= 28.672

*Round to the nearest foot

29 Feet