SOLUTION: A 25-foot ladder is placed against a building.The bottom of the ladder is 7 feet from the building.If the top of the ladder slips down 4 feet,how many feet will the bottom slide ou

Algebra ->  Pythagorean-theorem -> SOLUTION: A 25-foot ladder is placed against a building.The bottom of the ladder is 7 feet from the building.If the top of the ladder slips down 4 feet,how many feet will the bottom slide ou      Log On


   

Question 1097244: A 25-foot ladder is placed against a building.The bottom of the ladder is 7 feet from the building.If the top of the ladder slips down 4 feet,how many feet will the bottom slide out?No,its not 4 feet!!
Answer by josmiceli(19441) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let +h+ = the original height from
bottom of wall to where ladder
touches wall
+h%5E2+=+25%5E2+-+7%5E2+
+h%5E2+=+625+-+49+
+h%5E2+=+576+
+h+=+24+
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The top of ladder slips down +4+ ft, so
+h+=+24+-+4+=+20+
Let +d+ = new distance from wall to where
ladder touches ground
---------------------------
+d%5E2+=+25%5E2+-+20%5E2+
+d%5E2+=+625+-+400+
+d%5E2+=+225+
+d+=+15+
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+15+-+7+=+8+
The bottom of the ladder slides out 8 ft