Word math problem

Question

A 12-foot ladder is leaning against a building, with the base of the ladder 4 feet from the building. how high up on the building will the top of the ladder reach?

 

Simplify the answer, type exact answer, using radicals as needed. 

Answer 1

Pythagorean Theorem 

a² + b² = c²

 

Ladder leaning against a building is the c, the hypotenuse. If we let b be the base and a be the height (what we are looking for), then you can use this to set up the problem:

 

a = √(c² - b²⁾

   = √(12² - 4²)

   = √(144 - 16)

   = √128