Question 167133
let x="distance from wall"


"The top of a 15-foot ladder is 3ft farther up a wall than the foot of the ladder is from the bottom of the wall"
__ x+3


by Pythagoras __ x^2+(x+3)^2=15^2 __ x^2+x^2+6x+9=225 __ 2x^2+6x-216=0 __ x^2+3x-108=0


factoring __ (x+12)(x-9)=0


x+12=0 __ x=-12 __ negative value not realistic


x-9=0 __ x=9