A 22m ladder and a 20m ladder were leaned against a building.
The bottom of the longer ladder was 4m farther from the building than the bottom of the shorter ladder, but both ladders reached the same distance up the building.
Find this distance to the nearest tenth.
Select one:
a. 15.3m
b. 19.2m
c. 18.1m
d. 12.2m
2 answers
Nevermind, i got it.
Draw a picture. If the bottom of the shorter ladder is x from the building, and both ladders reach to height h, then
x^2+h^2 = 20^2
(x+4)^2 + h^2 = 22^2
so, eliminating h,
20^2 - x^2 = 22^2 - (x+4)^2
Now solve for x, and then you can get h
x^2+h^2 = 20^2
(x+4)^2 + h^2 = 22^2
so, eliminating h,
20^2 - x^2 = 22^2 - (x+4)^2
Now solve for x, and then you can get h
1 answer