The figure shows a triangular wooden frame ABC. The side AD of the frame is to be braced with a steel wire.

What is the length, in inches, of the steel wire required to brace side AD?

Question

The figure shows a triangular wooden frame ABC. The side AD of the frame is to be braced with a steel wire. 
 

 
What is the length, in inches, of the steel wire required to brace side AD?

anonymous · Answer

attachment

rulnick · Answer

14in/cos(30degrees)

anonymous · Answer

how do you know?

rulnick · Answer

= 16.17 in (rounded).  It's because cos(30deg) = 14 in divided by length of CD, by definition of cosine.

anonymous · Answer

btw what would be the final answer

rulnick · Answer

Depends on the accuracy (rounding) needed.

anonymous · Answer

i got 16.17 but that wasn't one of the answer choices

rulnick · Answer

Exact answer is 14/cos(pi/6) inches or 14/cos(30deg) inches.

rulnick · Answer

16.2 inches?  16.166 inches?

anonymous · Answer

5.9
		6.2
		7.4
		8.1

anonymous · Answer

I don't even know how they got these answer

rulnick · Answer

Where is the steel wire?  I thought it was CD.

anonymous · Answer

That's the thing it isn't specific as to what the steal wire is...

rulnick · Answer

Could it be BD?

rulnick · Answer

length of BD is 8.1 (8.083) inches.  That is one of the four choices.  But be careful, until you know which is the steel wire, you can't be sure.

anonymous · Answer

I really don't know this is driving me crazy ;/...