Marco and drew stacked boxes on a shelf. marco lifted 9 boxes and drew lifted 14 boxes. the boxes that drew lifted each weighed 8 lb less than the boxes marco lifted. which expression represents the total number of pounds drew lifted? let m represent the weight of the boxes that marco lifted.  a. m − 8 b. 14(m − 8) c. 9(m+8)d. 112m

we have three similar triangles, because each has a right angle and shares an angle.   let's write the angles in order: opposite to short leg, long leg, hypotenuse.

cab similar to bad similar to cbd

or as ratios,

ca: ab: cb = ba: ad: bd = cb: bd: cd

we also know

ac = ad + cd

(ad+cd): ab: cb = ba: ad: bd = cb: bd: cd

(ad+cd)/cb=cb/cd

we have cb=6, ad=5 and seek x=cd.

we reject the negative root and conclude x=4

answer: 4