Question

A 18​-foot ladder is placed against a vertical wall of a​ building, with the bottom of the ladder standing on level ground 11 feet from the base of the building. How high up the wall does the ladder​ reach?

Answer 1

The ladder reached 14.25 or √203 feet high up the wall.

Explanation:

1. Let's review the information provided to us to answer the question correctly:

Length of the ladder = 18 feet

Distance from the wall to the bottom of the ladder = 11 feet

2. How high up the wall does the ladder​ reach?

For answering the question, we will use the Pythagorean theorem because the ladder is forming a right triangle, as follows:

Length of the ladder is the hypotenuse of the triangle and the distance from the wall to the its bottom is one leg of the triangle. For finding out how high up the wall reached, that is the the second leg of the triangle, we will make this calculation:

Hypotenuse² - Leg₁² = Leg₂²

Substituting with the real values, we have:

18² - 11² = Leg₂²

324 - 121 = Leg₂²

203 = Leg₂²

√203 = √Leg₂²

14.25 or √203 = Leg₂

Answer 2

14.247 feet

Explanation:

This can be solved by using pythagoras theorem

c=18 feet

b=11 feet

a=?

a=sqrt(18^2-11^2)

=sqrt(324-121)

=sqrt(203)

=14.247 feet