The angle of elevation of a ladder is 19∘ and the ladder is 12 feet from the wall. What is the height of the ladder in feet?

Answer 1

Let x = the height of the ladder, or the hypotenuse

12 ft = the distance the ladder is from the wall, or the base of a triangle

the angle next to the base is 19 degrees

We would be using the adjacent side, and the hypotenuse, so COS

COS 19 = 12/x

x = 12

cos 19

x = 12.1 feet