Question

A tree is broken at a height of 5 m from the ground and its top touches the ground at a distance of 12 m from the base of of the tree. find the total height of the tree before it was broken.



$pythagorean \: theorm$
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Answer 1

Let A'CB represents the tree before it broken at the point C and let the top A' touches the ground at A after it broke. Then ΔABC is a right angled triangle, right angled at B.

AB = 12m and BC = 5m

(AC)² + (AB)² + (BC)²

$\rightarrow$ (AC)² = (12)² + (5)²

$\rightarrow$ (AC)² = 144 + 25

$\rightarrow$ (AC)² = 169

$\rightarrow$ AC = 13m

Hence, the total height of the tree=AC +CB =13 + 5 = 18m.