document.write( "Question 136898: Could I please have some help with this homework problem. The equation with explaination and answer. It will help me understand to solve others. A 12ft ladder is 7ft from the building. How high is the top of the ladder? I have 9.8 but, don't think its right. Thanks. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #100213 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)\"\" \"About 
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It will help me understand to solve others. A 12ft ladder is 7ft from the building. How high is the top of the ladder?
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\n" ); document.write( "You can picture this as a right triangle. The sides are formed by the building
\n" ); document.write( "and the ground. The ladder is the hypotenuse.
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\n" ); document.write( "Pythag says a^2 + b^2 = c^2, if we know two of these values we can find the third one
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\n" ); document.write( "In this problem. a = 7 (ground); c = 12 (ladder) Find b (building height)
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\n" ); document.write( "a^2 + b^2 = c^2
\n" ); document.write( "which will be
\n" ); document.write( "7^2 + b^2 = 12^2
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\n" ); document.write( "49 + b^2 = 144
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\n" ); document.write( "b^2 = 144 - 49; subtracted 49 from both sides
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\n" ); document.write( "b^2 = 95
\n" ); document.write( "b = \"sqrt%2895%29\"; find the square root of both sides
\n" ); document.write( "b = 9.75, which is about what you got. \n" ); document.write( "
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