a civil engineer in algebra town is working on a plan to dig two trenches: one for an
underground electric line and the other for an underground gas line.
the trench for the electricity line will connect the power plant to a new hospital. the power
plant is located 9 miles directly east of the town center, and the new hospital is 3 miles
directly north of the town center. furthermore, the trench for the gas line will run from
the gas distribution center, which is 5 miles directly north of the town center, to a new
apartment building that is 3 miles directly east of the town center.
- digging is expensive, so both trenches must be straight.
- for safety reasons, an electric line and a gas line must not touch.
if the engineer can calculate where the two trenches will cross, then she can tell the gas
digging crew to make the gas line tunnel deeper underground at that point. her
determine where the two trenches will meet. specify the location by telling how many
miles north or south, and how many miles east or west, it is from the town center.