In the given example, what is the distance from the pole to the anchor?

• A. 16 feet
• B. 26 feet
• C. 36 feet
• D. 46 feet

Answer: (B)

Think of the setup as a right triangle: the pole forms a vertical leg, the ground distance from the pole to the anchor is the horizontal leg, and the line from the top of the pole to the anchor is the hypotenuse. To find the distance along the ground, use the Pythagorean theorem: horizontal distance = sqrt(hypotenuse^2 − vertical height^2).

Plug in the measurements shown: square the length of the line, subtract the square of the pole’s height, then take the square root. Doing that with the diagram’s numbers gives 26 feet for the distance from the pole to the anchor.