Question

14 foot ladder is leaning against a building. Ladder makes a 45 degree angle with the buliding , how far up the building does the ladder reach

Answer 1

The ladder forms the hypotenuse of an isosceles right triangle. If the height of the ladder against the wall is x, the distance of the foot of the ladder is also x. By Pythagoras x²+x²=14²=196, so 2x²=196, x²=98 and x=98=7√2=9.9 feet approx.