Question

In football, the path that a defender must run to tackle the ball carrier is called the path of pursuit. If the ball carrier runs 40 yards to the end zone and the path of pursuit is 45 yards, how far apart were the ball carrier and defender when they started? Answer with appropriate precision. (Hint: Use the Pythagorean Theorem.)

Answer 1

Answer:

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

The ball carrier and defender were 20.62 ft apart

Let the path the ball carrier runs = x and y = path of pursuit and L = distance between defender and ball carrier when they started.

x, L and y form a right angled triangle with y being the hypotenuse side of the triangle.

From Pythagoras' theorem,

x² + L² = y²

So, L² = y² - x²

L = √(y² - x²)

Since x = 40 yards and y = 45 yards,

#substituting the values of the variables into the equation, we have

L = √(y² - x²)

L = √(45² - 40²)

L = √(2025 - 1600)

L = √425

L = 20.62 ft

So, the ball carrier and defender were 20.62 ft apart

Learn more about Pythagoras' theorem here:

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