Question

A 12 - ft ladder leans against the side of a house. The bottom of the ladder is 8 ft from the side of the house. How high is the top of the ladder from the ground?

Answer 1

The Pythagorean theorem tells you

... (height of ladder)² + (distance from house)² = (length of ladder)²

... (height of ladder)² + (8 ft)² = (12 ft)²

... height of ladder = √(12² - 8²) ft

... height of ladder = √80 ft ≈ 8.94 ft