Question

Question #6836c

Answer 1

What you have described here is a `3, 4, 5` right `angle triangle`, so the guy wire is `30ft`

Explanation:

The `3, 4, 5` right `angle triangle` will keep popping up in your mathematical career, so it is one you should memorize.

This is an example of the Pythagorean theorem as described here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_theorem

So our cable length `L` is found by: `L^2=18^2+24^2`

`L^2=324+576`

`L^2=900`

`L=30`, and since all distances are given in `ft`, `L=30ft`

But, if we divide all the distances by `6`;

we arrive at the `3, 4, 5` right `angle triangle`,

so the answer could be found without so much math.