Question 1209747: A ladder leans against a vertical wall if the height of the wall is 12m calculate the length of the ladder
Answer by CPhill(1959)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! I can't calculate the length of the ladder with only the height of the wall. I need more information, such as:
* **The angle the ladder makes with the ground or the wall:** This angle is crucial for determining the ladder's length.
* **The distance from the base of the ladder to the wall:** This distance, along with the wall's height, forms a right triangle, allowing us to use the Pythagorean theorem.
**Here's why I need more information:**
Imagine the ladder leaning against the wall. You can make the ladder very short (almost vertical) or very long (almost horizontal) while still reaching the 12m height. The height alone doesn't fix the length.
**Example:**
If you tell me the ladder is 13 meters from the base of the wall, I can use the Pythagorean theorem:
* a² + b² = c² (where a and b are the sides of the right triangle, and c is the hypotenuse - the ladder)
* 12² + 13² = c²
* 144 + 169 = c²
* 313 = c²
* c = √313
* c ≈ 17.69 meters
So, in this *example*, the ladder would be approximately 17.69 meters long. But I need the correct information from you to do the calculation for your specific problem.
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