Final answer:
The two spiders will be at the same height after 4 minutes. This is found by setting the equations for their climbing progress equal to each other and solving for time.
Step-by-step explanation:
We need to determine when two spiders climbing a wall will be at the same height. The first spider starts at 8 feet with a climbing speed of 6 feet per minute, and the second spider starts at 20 feet with a climbing speed of 3 feet per minute. Let's call the time after which they are at the same height 't' minutes.
Calculating the Position Over Time
For the first spider: Position after 't' minutes = 8 feet + (6 feet/minute * t)
For the second spider: Position after 't' minutes = 20 feet + (3 feet/minute * t)
Setting the Positions Equal to Each Other
8 + 6t = 20 + 3t
6t - 3t = 20 - 8
3t = 12
t = 4 minutes
Therefore, after 4 minutes, both spiders will be at the same height on the wall.