16Hit1600
Geometry and TrigonometryEasy–MediumLength of a guy rope

Geometry and Trigonometry practice question

A tent pole stands 10 metres tall, and a guy rope runs from its top to a peg 24 metres from its base on level ground. How long, in metres, is the rope?

Answer: 26

The rope is the hypotenuse: √(100 + 576) = √676 = 26.

Common wrong answers

If you answered 14
14 is 24 − 10.
If you answered 34
34 adds the two lengths.
If you answered 21.8
21.8 is √(576 − 100), treating 24 as the hypotenuse.

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