Question 1070440
The ladder, the vertical wall, and the horizontal ground
form a right triangle.
With {{{h}}}= height where the ladder touches the wall
{{{L}}}= length of the ladder and
{{{x}}}= distance from the bottom of the ladder to the wall,
the trigonometric ratios that apply are
{{{sin(60^o)=h/L}}} ,
{{{cos(60^o)=x/L}}} , and
{{{tan(60^o)=h/x}}} .
You want to find {{{h}}} .
If you had been given {{{L}}} , you would use {{{sin(60^o)=sqrt(3)/2}}} ,
and in many problems you are given the length of the ladder.
However, this problem gives you {{{x}}} ,
so you need to use {{{tan(60^o)=sqrt(3)=about1.732}}}
{{{1.732=h/"2 m"}}} ---> {{{h=(about1.732)*2m=about3.46m}}} .