SOLUTION: My work truck has a ramp that is 36'' off the ground. The length of my ramp is 144". How far does my my ramp extend using the Pythagorean Theorem? Equation is: 36^2 + x^2 = 144

Question 333372: My work truck has a ramp that is 36'' off the ground. The length of my ramp is 144". How far does my my ramp extend using the Pythagorean Theorem?
Equation is: 36^2 + x^2 = 144 solve for x

This is a question asked by my teacher, any help would be greatly appreciated!
Answer by solver91311(24713) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Your equation is not quite right.

You should have:

But the arithmetic looks UG-LY! (two syllables)

However, if you note, 36 inches is 3 feet and 144 inches is 12 feet, so if you let

represent the number of feet the ramp extends, you can write:

Which is to say

feet.

is the exact answer. Use your calculator to get a numeric approximation. Hint: Once you have calculated the decimal representation of the number of feet, you can strip off the decimal part, multiply it by 12 and get the number of inches so you can have a feet inches.decimal representation. Just remember, once you use the calculator to determine

everything after that is an approximation.

John

My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it

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