176k views
1 vote
a ladder is to reach over a fence 8 feet high to a wall 1 foot behind the fence. what is the length of the shortest ladder that can be used?

User Sbennett
by
9.2k points

1 Answer

4 votes

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.

User Coglialoro
by
8.1k points

No related questions found

Welcome to QAmmunity.org, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of our community.