document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1010990>Question 1010990</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> I need help solving this with the pythagorean theorem. <BR>\n" );
document.write( "a ladder is leaning against a building so that the distance from the ground to the top of the ladder is 9 feet 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 15 feet </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #626520 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=addingup><B>addingup(3677)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=addingup><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=addingup><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=626520\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The ladder leans against the building, so the ladder is your hypotenuse.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The height of the building will be one of the legs of the right triangle and the other leg will be the distance of the bottom of the ladder to the building  Using Pythagoras' Theorem:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "15^2+(h-9)^2= h^2<BR>\n" );
document.write( "225+(h-9)^2= h^2 Factor the left:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "h^2-18h+306= h^2 Subtract h^2 from both sides:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-18h+306= 0 Rearrange elements:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "306-18h= 0 Now factor the left:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-18(h-17)= 0 Divide both sides by -18 (zero divided by any number = 0)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "h-17= 0 Add 17 on both sides:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "h= 17 is the length of the ladder, your hypotenuse.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "And the height of the building is: 17-9= 8-<BR>\n" );
document.write( "So we have a triangle with:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Long leg: 15 (distance from the bottom of the ladder to the building)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Short leg: 8 (hypotenuse minus 9)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Hypotenuse: 17<BR>\n" );
document.write( "J </SPAN>\n" );
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