SOLUTION: A ladder is leaning against a building so that the distance from the ground to the top of the ladder is 1 foot less than the length of the ladder. Find the length of the ladder if

Algebra ->  Quadratic Equations and Parabolas  -> Quadratic Equations Lessons  -> Quadratic Equation Lesson -> SOLUTION: A ladder is leaning against a building so that the distance from the ground to the top of the ladder is 1 foot less than the length of the ladder. Find the length of the ladder if       Log On


   

Question 1066957: A ladder is leaning against a building so that the distance from the ground to the top of the ladder is 1 foot 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 3 feet.
Answer by stanbon(75887) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A ladder is leaning against a building so that the distance from the ground to the top of the ladder is 1 foot 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 3 feet.
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Sketch the picture.
You have a right triangle with hypotenuse = h
base = 3
height = h-1
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Equation:
h^2 = 3^2 + (h-1)^2
h^2 = 9 + h^2 -2h + 1
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2h = 10
height = h-1 = 4 ft.
ladder = h = 5 ft.
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Cheers,
Stan H.
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