Steve Fossett is going the shores of Australia on the ?rst successful solo hot air balloon ride around the world. His balloon, the Bud Light Spirit of Freedom, is being escorted by a boat (directly below him) that is 108 meters away. The boat is 144 meters from the shore. How far is Fossett's balloon from the shore?

a. 252 m

b. 95.2 m

c. 126 m

d. 180 m

d. The boat is make a right angle triangle. The distance between the boat and balloon is 108 meters, one leg. The distance between the land and boat, 144 meters, is the second leg. The distance between the balloon and the land, which is what we are taking, is the hypotenuse. Using the Pythagorean theorem: 108² + 144² = c²; 11,664 + 20,736 = c²; 32,400 = c²; c = 180 m.