2006-12-30 06:30:22 · 2 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
60ft
....................15ft..^
..................._^___| y
..................^|..... ..|
............^......|..x....| 24 ft
.....^.............|........|
^__________|_____|
24 / 60 = y / 15
0.4 = y / 15
y = 6
x = 24 - y
x = 24 - 6
x = 18
The beam is 18 feet tall.
I worked really hard on that terrible diagram, please vote for me!
2006-12-30 06:44:12 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Similar triangles!
Draw a picture:
The ramp-ground-wall form a right triangle with height=24 and hypotenuse=60.
The ramp-ground-support form a similar right triangle with height=x and hypotenuse=60-15=45.
So, the ratios of 24/60 and x/45 must be equal. (You can also convince yourself of this by noting that each of these ratios is also equal to the sine of the angle of the ramp from the ground.)
24/60 = x/45 => x= 18
Done!
2006-12-30 06:34:16 · answer #2 · answered by Jerry P 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋