SOLUTION: A ladder is resting against a wall. The top of the ladder touches the wall at a height of 12 ft. Find the length of the ladder if the length is 4 ft more than its distance from t
= . (Pythagorean theorem)
Solve for x, the distance from the wall.
= ,
128 = 8x ====> x = = 16.
Thus the distance from the wall = 16 ft. Hence, the length of the ladder is 16 + 4 = 20 ft.