Question

Steven uses a ladder to change the bulb in the floodlight on the front of the house because it is 15 feet above the ground. Stephen needs to place the end of the ladder 8 feet away from the house so that it does not crush the flowers in the flower bed.

How tall must the ladder be to reach the height of the floodlight?


(IGNORE MY ANSWER I DIDNT MEAN TO CLICK ON IT)

Answer 1

17 feet

Explanation:

We can use the Pythagorean therom, since the triangle has a 90 degree angle:

8^2 + 15^2 = x^2

64 + 225 = x^2

x^2 = 289

x = 17 feet

See the attached worksheet.