WORD PROBLEM!! A radio station is going to construct a 12-foot tower for a new antenna.?

Question

The tower will be supported by three cables, each attached to the top of the tower and to points on the roof of the building that are 16 feet from the base of the tower. Find the total length of the three cables.

Answer 1

I come up with the same answer. These are all multiples of the basic 3,4,5 triangle, by a factor of 4. The tower ht. is (3)(4) or 12'. The cables are attached (4)(4) or 16'. The cables are, therefore, (5)(4) or 20'. 3 of them give a total length of (3)(20) or 60'.

Answer 2

60 feet, if I understand your explanation correctly.  The way I figured it was that the tower is 12ft tall and the cables were attached to the roof (that the antenna is sitting on), 16ft away from the base of the tower.  Assuming the antenna is exactly vertical and the roof exactly horizontal, thereby forming a right angle, use Pythagorean's theorum to solve 12^2 + 16^2 = c^2 where c is the length of the cable

144 + 256 = c^2

400 = c^2

c=20  times 3 cables = 60 feet

Answer 3

Yep, it's 60