A ladder is resting against a wall. The top of the ladder touches the wall at a height of 15 feet. Find the length of the ladder if the length is 5ft more than its distance from the wall

Answer 1

Right triangle...

Hypotenuse L is the length of the ladder .

One leg is 15 ft.

The base of right triangle from the bottom of the ladder to the wall is L-5 feet.

Pythagorean says:

(L-5)^2 + 15^2 = L^2

L^2 - 10L + 25 + 225 = L^2

250 - 10L = 0

250 = 10L

L = 25

The ladder is 25 feet long.

The base of the ladder is 20 feet from the wall.