In a computer game, a bird flies at a height of 1,281 feet. at the same time of fish swims 282 feet below sea level what is the difference between the height of the bird and the depth of the fish?

your basically going to add them to see the difference 1,281+282= 1,363

1,281 - 1,281 = 0

0 - 282 = - 282

1,281 + 282 = 1,563

ANSWER: 1,563 ft.

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