document.write( "Question 181933: 25 + (x-1)^2 = C^2\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "this is the formula i came up with from the word question:\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "A ladder is leaning against a building so that the distance from the ground to the top of the ladder in one foot less than the length of the ladder. Find the length of the ladder if the distance from the bottom of the ladder to the building is 5 feet.
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Algebra.Com's Answer #136553 by jim_thompson5910(35256)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let x=length of ladder\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Since \"the distance from the ground to the top of the ladder in one foot less than the length of the ladder.\", this means that one leg of the triangle is \"x-1\" ft. Also, we're given the other leg of 5 ft.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So this tells us that \"a=5\", \"b=x-1\" and \"c=x\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"a%5E2%2Bb%5E2=c%5E2\" Start with Pythagorean's Theorem\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"5%5E2%2B%28x-1%29%5E2=x%5E2\" Plug in \"a=5\", \"b=x-1\" and \"c=x\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"25%2B%28x-1%29%5E2=x%5E2\" Square 5 to get 25\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"25%2Bx%5E2-2x%2B1=x%5E2\" FOIL\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"25%2Bx%5E2-2x%2B1-x%5E2=0\" Subtract \"x%5E2\" from both sides.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"-2x%2B26=0\" Combine like terms.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"-2x=0-26\" Subtract \"26\" from both sides.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"-2x=-26\" Combine like terms on the right side.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x=%28-26%29%2F%28-2%29\" Divide both sides by \"-2\" to isolate \"x\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x=13\" Reduce.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Answer:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the answer is \"x=13\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So this means that the length of the ladder is 13 ft while the height that the ladder reaches on the building is 12 ft.
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