Question

If you have a 10 foot ladder and you put it against a wall at the ideal angle, how high on the wall will the ladder touch. Assume a 90 degree angle between the wall and the floor.

Please use complete sentences and include the trig. calculations to the best of your ability.

Answer 1

the full length of the ladder is 10 feet, there is 3 feet above the roof, so the distance from the ground to the top support is 7. x=7
the hypotenuse is 7, the short leg is 7/4, so the height (the other leg) is:
h=√[7²-(7/4)²]=(√15)*7/4=6.7777 feet