SOLUTION: Hi, i need help with this question: A 12-foot ladder is leaning across a fence and is touching a higher wall located 3 feet behind the fence. The ladder makes an angle of 60 degree

Algebra ->  Triangles -> SOLUTION: Hi, i need help with this question: A 12-foot ladder is leaning across a fence and is touching a higher wall located 3 feet behind the fence. The ladder makes an angle of 60 degree      Log On


   

Question 80366: Hi, i need help with this question: A 12-foot ladder is leaning across a fence and is touching a higher wall located 3 feet behind the fence. The ladder makes an angle of 60 degrees with the ground.

Find the distance from the base of the ladder to the bottom of the fence.

(also it would be very nice to see how you solved for it, thank you)
Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A 12-foot ladder is leaning across a fence and is touching a higher wall located 3 feet behind the fence. The ladder makes an angle of 60 degrees with the ground.
:
If you draw this you can see that the ladder, ground, and building form a right
triangle. The ladder is the hypotenuse and we know the angle with the ground
to be 60 degrees.
:
Cosine = side adjacent (ground) / hypotenuse, let g = ground
:
Cos(60) = g%2F12%29
:
.5 = g%2F12
:
g = 12 * .5
:
g = 6 ft from the base to the building
:
Find the distance from the base of the ladder to the bottom of the fence.
That would be 6 - 3 = 3 ft