document.write( "Question 19200: Can you please solve this problem I have hard time to form the equation.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "A ladder is resting against a wall. The top of the ladder touches the wall at a height of 6 feet. Find the length of the ladder if the length is 2 feet more than its distance from the wall.\r
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Algebra.Com's Answer #9247 by wuwei96815(245) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The hardest part of word problems is translating them into math problems. This problem is a right triangle problem. The formula for a right triangle is
\n" ); document.write( "a2 + b2 = c2. Let's assign values to these letters and see if we can't solve your problem:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Let a=6'
\n" ); document.write( "Let b=x because it is unknown
\n" ); document.write( "Let c=x+2 because it is 2' longer than b\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "a2+b2=c2 becomes (6)2 + (x)2 = (x+2)2\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Let's solve for x:
\n" ); document.write( "36 + x2 = x2 +4x +4
\n" ); document.write( "36 - 4 = -x2 + x2 + 4x +4
\n" ); document.write( "32 = 4x
\n" ); document.write( "8 = x\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "If x=8 then x+2=10\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "If you are so inclined go back to the equation a2+b2=c2 and see if our answers are correct. \n" ); document.write( "

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