SOLUTION: A fireman stood on the middle rung of a ladder pouring water on a building. As the smoke cleared, he stepped up 3 rungs. A sudden flare up forced him to go down 5 rungs. later he c

Question 97069: A fireman stood on the middle rung of a ladder pouring water on a building. As the smoke cleared, he stepped up 3 rungs. A sudden flare up forced him to go down 5 rungs. later he climbed 7 rungs to work on the fire. then he climbed the remaining 6 rungs to the top of the ladder and stepped off to stand of the roof. How mant rungs did the ladder have?
I don't understand this questoin at all could someone please help?!
Answer by coyote(32) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!

x is the middle rung, so add all times he climbs above this rung
x + 3 + 2(since he dropped 5, only count the 2 above) + 6
So there are 11 steps above the middle rung, therefore there must be 11 steps BELOW the middle rung. Add the middle rung and you have
11 + 11 + 1 = 23 rungs on the ladder
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