Question

A painter is using a 8-foot ladder to paint a house. The painter places the ladder 6 feet from the house. How high up the wall does the ladder reach?

Answer 1

Explanation:

step 1. This is a right triangle where a^2 + b^2 = c^2 (c is the hypotenuse).

step 2. a^2 + 6^2 = 8^2.

step 3. a^2 = 64 - 36.

step 4. a^2 = 28.

step 5. a (the ladder height along the wall) = sqrt (28) where sqrt is the square root.

step 6. sqrt(28) = 2(sqrt(7)).