Math Problem

emmaiskool242

Junior Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2006
Messages
66
A rope from the top of a mast on a sailboat is attached to a point on the deck 5 ft from the base of the mast. If the rope is 13 ft long how high is the mast?

ok, so thats my problem I have know Idea how to do it and I need help. If you can show me how you would do this to that would be helpful

~Thanks~=)
 
Use the Pythagorean Theorem. Draw the picture, if you're not sure where the given values go.

Eliz.
 
but how, i tried drawing a picture already, the thing is I don't understand which numbers plug in where??
 
emmaiskool242 said:
I don't understand which numbers plug in where??
You have "a<sup>2</sup> + b<sup>2</sup> = c<sup>2</sup>", where "a" and "b" are the legs and "c" is the hypotenuse. You say you have drawn the picture, so you can see from that which are the (shorter) legs and which is the (longer) hypotenuse.

Please clarify where you are stuck. Thank you.

Eliz.
 
So maybe i should say I don't understand how to draw the picture, because if i did that then I would know which numbers to plug in where??
 
Yes, 12 is correct. Good work :idea:
What you really had was a right triangle, hypotenuse = 13, one leg = 5.
 
Top