Question

The formula that relates the length of a ladder, L, that leans against a wall with distance d from the base of the wall and the height h that the ladder reaches up the wall is mc024-1.jpg. What height on the wall will a 15-foot ladder reach if it is placed 3.5 feet from the base of a wall?

Answer 1

Answer: it's 14.6 feet

Answer 2

We will use the Pythagorean theorem to determine the height:$h^{2}=15^{2} - 3.5^{2}$ $h^{2} =225 - 12.25=212.75$ Finally: $h= \sqrt{212.75}=14.5859$
Answer Ladder will reach the height of 14.59 feet ( to the nearest hundredths).