To solve this problem, we will use the Pythagorean theorem, which is a^2 + b^2 = c^2, where c represents the length of the hypotenuse (the longest side in a right-angled triangle, which in this case is the ladder), and a and b are the lengths of the other two sides. Here, one of these sides is the height of the window which is 14 feet from the ground, and the other side, represented by distance 'd', is what we want to find.
Our given value for the ladder (the hypotenuse or 'c') is 16 feet, and the given height of the window (one of the shorter sides or 'a') is 14 feet.
As per the Pythagorean theorem, we rewrite our equation where we make 'd' (the other shorter side or 'b') the subject: d = sqrt(c^2 - a^2).
Substitute 'c' with the ladder length (16 feet), and 'a' with the window's height (14 feet). The equation becomes: d = sqrt(16^2 - 14^2).
By calculating, we find that the measurement of 'd' is approximately 7.7 feet.
Hence, the distance 'd' from the foot of the ladder to the base of the building is roughly 7.7 feet. This answer is rounded to the nearest tenth of a foot.