A ladder is leaning up against a building. The bottom of the ladder is 6 feet from the building. The top of the ladder reaches the wall at a height of 8 feet. How long is the ladder?

Answer 1

This is right angle triangle question

An 8 ft ladder is leaning against a wall : so we can consider hypotenuse is 8 feet

 

The bottom of the ladder is 6 ft from the base of the wall : so one leg of right angle triangle is 6 feet

 

 

How far up the wall does the ladder reach : so we have to find other leg of triangle

 

let consider other leg = b

 

So we can use Pythagorean theorem

 

6^2 + b^2 = 8^2

 

36 +b^2=64

 

b^2 =28

 

b=√28

 

=√(7*4)

 

  =2√7

 

So the the ladder reach=2√7 feet