Iget confused with synthetic division

Linda loans her friend $250 with a 5% monthly intrest rate. how much was the whole loan?

Tell whether the two rates form a proportion

Aflagpole broke in a storm. it was originally 8 1 81 feet tall. 2 8 28 feet are still sticking straight out of the ground, where it snapped, but the remaining piece has hinged over and touches the ground some distance away. how far away is the end of the pole from the base of the pole along the ground?