Question

An extension ladder adjusts in length from 10 ft to 16 ft. Suppose you've leaned your ladder against your house sot that, at its minimum lenght, it touches the base of your first floor window, 9 feet above the ground. Without moving the base, how high will the ladder reach when extended (to one decimal place)?

Answer 1

x^2+9^2 = 10^2 where x is base to house along ground
x^2 = 100 - 81 = 19
x = sqrt(19)
then
x^2 + h^2 = 16^2
h^2 = 256 - 19 = 237
h = sqrt (237)