SOLUTION: A ladder is leaning against a building. The distance from the bottom of the ladder to the building is 18 feet shorter than the length of the ladder. How high up the side of the bu

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Question 1072636: A ladder is leaning against a building. The distance from the bottom of the ladder to the building is 18 feet shorter than the length of the ladder. How high up the side of the building is the top of the ladder if the distance is 9 feet less than the length of the latter?
Answer by josgarithmetic(39620) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Bottom leg, h-18
Wall leg, h-9
Hypotenuse or ladder length, h

%28h-18%29%5E2%2B%28h-9%29%5E2=h%5E2

h%5E2-36h%2B324%2Bh%5E2-18h%2B81=h%5E2

h%5E2-36h-18h%2B324%2B81=0

h%5E2-54h%2B405=0

%28h-9%29%28h-45%29=0

highlight%28h=45%29-------ladder length.

How high up the wall?
h-9=45-9=highlight%28highlight%2835%29%29