Question

A roofer leaned a 16-foot ladder against a house. If the base of the ladder is 5 feet from the house, how high up the house does the ladder reach?

Answer 1

15.20feet

Explanation:

Length of the ladder = 16foot (hypotenuse)

BAse of the ladder from the house = 5feet (adjacent)

height of the house = x (opposite)

Using the pythagoras theorem

hyp^2 = opp^2 + adj^2

16^2 = 5^2 + opp^2

256 = 25 + opp^2

opp^2 = 256-25

opp^2 = 231

opp =√231

opp = 15.20

Hence the house is 15.20feet high up the house