Question

A pole is braced by two wires that extended from the top of the pole to the ground. The lengths of the wires are 16 feet and 18 feet and the measure of the angle between the wires is 110 degrees. Find, to the nearest foot, the distance between the points at which the wires are fastened to the ground. Please show work !

Answer 1

using the law of cosines, the distance d is

d^2 = 16^2 + 18^2 - 2(16)(18)cos110°
d = 27.87 ft