Question
A ladder resting against the side of a building reaches 32 ft up the building. If the ladder is 40 ft long, how far from the building is the base of the ladder?
Answers
Nat
Draw the problem out, with a ladder leaning against the wall, and label the respective lengths. You will notice it forms a right-angle triangle, with the ladder as the hypotenuse.
So the theorem is
a^2+b^2 =c^2
where c represents the ladder length (the hypotenuse), and so a can represent the distance of the ladder from the base of the building (the answer), and b is where the ladder reaches on the building.
Therefore,
a^2+32^2=40^2
Since a is what we need, rearrange the above formula to solve for a and you will get your answer. (Remember the units ft)
So the theorem is
a^2+b^2 =c^2
where c represents the ladder length (the hypotenuse), and so a can represent the distance of the ladder from the base of the building (the answer), and b is where the ladder reaches on the building.
Therefore,
a^2+32^2=40^2
Since a is what we need, rearrange the above formula to solve for a and you will get your answer. (Remember the units ft)
david
24 ft
violet
The doorway of the family room measures 6 1/2 feet by 3 feet. What is the length of the diagonal of the doorway?