so using the Pythagorean theorem is simple. what you want o do for this question is to make a graph to visualize it. since the top of the ladder is 7 feet up the house, you would go up 7 points, and its 2 1/2 feet from the house, you would move out 2 1/2 points. The ladders length is the hypotenuse, or the longer side that you get when you connect those two points.
