A ladder is leaning against a building. The base of the ladder is 8 feet from the wall, and the top of the ladder reaches 6 feet up the wall. How long is the ladder?

Answer 1

This makes a right angle triangle. Pythagoras to the rescue!

a^2 + b^2 = c^2

8^2 + 6^2 = c^2

64 + 36 = c^2

100 = c^2

10 = c