document.write( "Question 327024: A ladder that is 15 feet long is 9 feet from the base of the wall. How far does the ladder reach? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #234178 by jvan(28) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
You can think of this as a triangle. One side of the triangle is the ladder, the other is the wall, and the bottom of the triangle is the ground =). We know the length of 2 sides of the triangle: the one made up by the ladder (15feet) and the one made up by the ground (9 feet). We need to find the length of the triangle made up by the wall, then we will know how far the ladder reaches. We can use the pythagorean theorem to find the length of the triangle: $\"a%5E2%2Bb%5E2=c%5E2\"$ . We can use this equation because this is a right triangle (it has a 90 degree angle) :]. Plugging our numbers into the pythagorean theorem we get $\"a%5E2%2B9%5E2=15%5E2\"$ . The ladder makes up the longest side of the triangle (the hypothenuse), so we have to plug it in for c. It doesn't matter where we plug in the 9. Squaring the numbers you get $\"a%5E2%2B81=225\"$ . Subtracting 81 from both sides you get $\"a%5E2=144\"$ . Square rooting both sides you get $\"a=12\"$ ! The ladder reaches 12 feet off the ground =) If you like the way I wrote this solution, please visit my website at http://myonlinetutor.webs.com and become a member to get free tutoring \(^0^)/!
\n" ); document.write( "Thanks!!! :> \n" ); document.write( "

\n" );