what is the exact word to describe this direction?

@Brook909 (110)
June 9, 2010 9:50pm CST
hi,guys,i failed to upload the sketch yesterday.now let me describe it in a story: long time ago,there was a man wanted to entry the city with a long bamboo pole in his hand at the citygate.First he tried to hold the pole vertically he could not get in.then he tried to hold the pole honrizontally he couldn't get in either.now my question is how could the man get into the city?How should he hole the pole?what do you usually describe this right direction?
1 response
@StarBright (2798)
• United States
10 Jun 10
The pole should be elongated. That is, the pole will have more length than width. The man will have to extend the pole the long way so as to walk through the gate.
@Brook909 (110)
10 Jun 10
thanks,so the man should hold the bamboo pole elongated in order to walk through the gate.but the bamboo pole is a solid object,it's without any extension.can it be elongated?please explain more about the usage of the word"elongate"
• United States
11 Jun 10
Let me give some sample dimensions. The gate is 5 feet high. The pole is 10 feet long with a 3 inch diameter. Label the top of the pole "A" and the bottom of the pole "B". In this example when the pole is held vertically, then "A" is pointing to the sky and "B: is pointing to the ground. The man cannot get the pole through the gate. Next, if the man simply holds the pole horizontally so that "A" is pointing to his left and "B" is pointing to his right, again, he cannot get the pol through the gate. Now Mr. Man will have no problem entering the gate with his pole if he holds the pole horizontally or even at an angle, if he inserts one of the elongated ends (either "A" or "B") through the gate first. Of course, Mr. Man can go through the gate and pull his treasured pole behind him. Or, perhaps, he may want to carry the pole at his side.
@Brook909 (110)
11 Jun 10
ok,it's very kind of you.in addition,Can i say the man hold the pole longitudinally? longways?or hoding the pole parallel to the road?or perpendicular to the gate?