Question 333372
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Your equation is not quite right.


You should have:


*[tex \LARGE \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ 36^2\ +\ x^2\ =\ 144^2]


But the arithmetic looks UG-LY!  (two syllables)


However, if you note, 36 inches is 3 feet and 144 inches is 12 feet, so if you let *[tex \Large x] represent the number of feet the ramp extends, you can write:


*[tex \LARGE \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ 3^2\ +\ x^2\ =\ 12^2]


Which is to say


*[tex \LARGE \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ x^2\ =\ 144\ -\ 9]


*[tex \LARGE \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ x^2\ =\ 135]


*[tex \LARGE \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ x\ =\ \sqrt{135}\ =\ \sqrt{9}\cdot\sqrt{15}\ =\ 3\sqrt{15}] feet.


is the exact answer.  Use your calculator to get a numeric approximation.  Hint:  Once you have calculated the decimal representation of the number of feet, you can strip off the decimal part, multiply it by 12 and get the number of inches so you can have a feet inches.decimal representation.  Just remember, once you use the calculator to determine *[tex \Large \sqrt{15}] everything after that is an approximation.


John
*[tex \LARGE e^{i\pi} + 1 = 0]
My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it
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