Final answer:
The mathematics question is about using the Pythagorean theorem to find the height at which a moving truck's 14-foot ramp is positioned above the ground when it extends 8 feet from the truck. The calculated height is approximately 11.49 feet.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question relates to the use of the Pythagorean theorem, which is a topic in mathematics, specifically in geometry. The student is describing a scenario with a moving truck that uses a 14-foot ramp for unloading, where the ramp extends 8 feet away from the truck. To assist the student in understanding the concept, we can calculate the height at which the ramp is positioned on the truck using the Pythagorean theorem. The theorem states that in a right-angled triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides. Here, the 14-foot ramp is the hypotenuse, and the 8-foot distance is one of the legs of the triangle.
Let's denote the height from the ground up to the back of the truck as 'h'. We can then set up the equation:
h2 + 82 = 142
Solving for 'h', we find:
h2 + 64 = 196
h2 = 196 - 64
h2 = 132
h = √132
h ≈ 11.49 feet
Therefore, the height at which the truck's ramp is positioned above the ground is approximately 11.49 feet.