SOLUTION: Could I please have some help with this homework problem. The equation with explaination and answer. It will help me understand to solve others. A 12ft ladder is 7ft from the build

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Question 136898: Could I please have some help with this homework problem. The equation with explaination and answer. It will help me understand to solve others. A 12ft ladder is 7ft from the building. How high is the top of the ladder? I have 9.8 but, don't think its right. Thanks.
Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
It will help me understand to solve others. A 12ft ladder is 7ft from the building. How high is the top of the ladder?
;
You can picture this as a right triangle. The sides are formed by the building
and the ground. The ladder is the hypotenuse.
:
Pythag says a^2 + b^2 = c^2, if we know two of these values we can find the third one
:
In this problem. a = 7 (ground); c = 12 (ladder) Find b (building height)
:
a^2 + b^2 = c^2
which will be
7^2 + b^2 = 12^2
:
49 + b^2 = 144
:
b^2 = 144 - 49; subtracted 49 from both sides
:
b^2 = 95
b = ; find the square root of both sides
b = 9.75, which is about what you got.