The length of the ladder

Question

A spotlight is mounted on the eaves of a house 24 feet above the ground. A flower bed runs between the house and the sidewalk, so the closest the ladder can be placed to the house is 18 feet. How long a ladder is needed so that an electrician can reach the place where the light is mounted. (Show all work)

Answer 1

Hi Craig;

 

|
|
|
24

feet
|
|
|____18 feet

 

 

This is a right triangle in that one angle is 90-degrees.

a²+b²=c²

 

(18)²+(24)²=c²

 

324+576=c²

900=c²

square root(900)=c

30=c

The ladder must be 30-feet tall.