Final answer:
To find the distance from the bottom of the ladder to the bottom of the building, use the Pythagorean theorem.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the distance from the bottom of the ladder to the bottom of the building, we can use the Pythagorean theorem, which states that in a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides.
In this case, the ladder is the hypotenuse, and the two sides are the height of the building and the distance from the bottom of the ladder to the bottom of the building.
Using the Pythagorean theorem, we have:
Substituting the given values, we have:
(25^2) + (x^2) = (38^2)
(625) + (x^2) = (1444)
Simplifying the equation:
x^2 = 1444 - 625
x^2 = 819
Taking the square root of both sides:
x ≈ √819 ≈ 28.6 feet