Final answer:
The length of the shortest ladder that can be used to reach over a fence 8 feet high to a wall 1 foot behind the fence is approximately 8.06 feet.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the length of the shortest ladder that can be used to reach over a fence 8 feet high to a wall 1 foot behind the fence, we can use the Pythagorean theorem. The ladder, the fence, and the distance from the fence to the wall form a right triangle. Let x be the length of the ladder. The height of the fence is 8 feet and the distance from the fence to the wall is 1 foot. Using the Pythagorean theorem, we can write:
x^2 = 8^2 + 1^2
x^2 = 65
x = √65
So, the length of the shortest ladder that can be used is approximately 8.06 feet.