Answer: The length of the ladder is 20 feet.
Step-by-step explanation:
Given : A ladder is leaning against a building so that the distance from the ground to the top of the ladder is 8 feet less than the length of the ladder.
Mathematically,
Let x be the length of the ladder then
Distance from ground to the top of the ladder = x- 8
If distance from the bottom of the ladder to the building is 16 feet.
Since ground makes right angle with building , so the triangle made by ladder should be a right triangle.
By Pythagoras theorem of right triangle , we hae
Hence, the length of the ladder is 20 feet.