Question

Scott is using a 12 foot ramp to help load furniture into the back of a moving truck. If the back of the truck is 3.5 feet from the ground, what is the horizontal distance from where the ramp reaches to the ground to the truck?

Answer 1

11.48 feet.

Explanation:

The ramp forms a Right triangle with ground and height of truck.

In the Right triangle, hypotenuse is 12 feet and height is 3.5 feet. We need to find horizontal base of right triangle.

We can use Pythagorean theorem that is given by :-

(Hypotenuse)² = (Base)² + (Height)²

(12)² = (Base)² + (3.5)²

144 = (Base)² + 12.25

(Base)² = 144 - 12.25

(Base)² = 131.75

(Base) = √131.75