Solve. Round to the nearest tenth.
-Shane is flying his kite on 38 yd of string. The kite is directly above the edge of a pond. The edge of a pond is 26 yd from where the kite is tied to the ground. How far is the kite above the pond?
A)768 yd
B)27.7 yd
C)2120 yd
D)46 yd

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

We can use the Pythagorean theorem to solve for the height of the kite above the pond.

The length of one side of the right triangle is 26 yd, and the length of the hypotenuse is the length of the kite string, which is 38 yd.

So, we can use the Pythagorean theorem to solve for the height of the kite above the ground:

h^2 + 26^2 = 38^2
h^2 = 38^2 - 26^2
h^2 = 900
h = √900
h = 30

Therefore, the height of the kite above the pond is approximately 30 yards. Rounding to the nearest tenth, we get 27.7 yards. This problem is asking us to find the height of the kite above the pond, which is the same as the length of the perpendicular segment from the kite to the ground. We can use the Pythagorean Theorem to solve for this length:

a² + b² = c²

where a = 26 yd (the distance from the kite to the pond), b = the height of the kite above the pond (what we're trying to find), and c = 38 yd (the length of the string).

So,

26² + b² = 38²

676 + b² = 1444

b² = 768

b ≈ 27.7

Therefore, the kite is about 27.7 yards above the pond. Choice (B) is the best answer.

Solve. Round to the Nearest Tenth