A rope with its two ends held in place forms a curve called a catenary (assuming that the stiffness of the rope is negligible). A catenary takes the shape of the function:
f(x) = a cosh(x/a),
where cosh is the hyperbolic cosine function.

If a 50-foot rope hangs by its ends from two flagpoles, one 50 feet tall and one 40 feet tall, and at its lowest point is 20 feet above the ground, how far apart are the flagpoles?

i was about to give up when i saw the slightly higher math, but after reading the question i'd say the two poles are right next to each other, touching even.

twenty feet from the lowest point to the top of the forty foot pole, and thirty feet from the lowest point to the top of the fifty. that makes fifty feet, or did i miss something?

Posted by rixar on 2004-06-05 22:26:37