SOLUTION: A ladder is resting against a wall. The top of the ladder touches the wall at a height of 15 feet. Find the distance from the wall to the bottom of the ladder if the length is one
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Question 654639: A ladder is resting against a wall. The top of the ladder touches the wall at a height of 15 feet. Find the distance from the wall to the bottom of the ladder if the length is one foot more than twice its distance from the wall. Answer by stanbon(75887) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! A ladder is resting against a wall. The top of the ladder touches the wall at a height of 15 feet. Find the distance from the wall to the bottom of the ladder if the length is one foot more than twice its distance from the wall.
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Draw the picture.
You have a right triangle with height = 15, base = x ;
hypotenuse = 2x-1
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Equation:
x^2 + (2x-1)^2 = 15*2
x^2 + 4x^2 + 4x + 1 = 225
5x^2 + 4x = 224
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5x^2 + 4x - 224 = 0
x = 6.3 ft (base)
2x-1 = 12.6-1 = 11.6 ft (length of the ladder)
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Cheers,
Stan H.
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