A 15ft ladder is leaning against a building.If the bottom of the ladder is 9ft from the base of the building.?

This equation calls for the Pythagorean theorem. It might be easier to see if you draw out the ladder leaning against the house. The base of the house and the line along the ground to where the ladder rests is a 90 degree angle so you can figure out the missing side by using A^2 + B^2 = C^2

A is the unknown or the side of the house, B is the baseline from the house to the bottom of the ladder and c is 15 ft so we get 81 + B^2 = 15^2 (or 225)

subtract 81 from both sides and we get B^2 = 144

take the sguare root of each so we have B = 12 ft

Hope that helps

The ladder is leaning, therefore it is the hypoteneuse.

It is nine feet from the building (too much slope...I wouldn't climb it!)

(a)The base is 9 feet. (c) The hypoteneuse is 15 feet.

Do you remember something like " a squared plus b squared = c squared? Something called the Pythagorean Theorum?

c squared = 225

a squared = 81

Therefore, the difference is 144, which = b (the height) squared.

The square root of 144 is 12, therefore the top of the ladder is 12 feet up the wall.

okay, hypotenuse theorem: a^2 + b^2 = c^2 (^2 = squared)

now think of a right triangle. the 90 degree angle in this problem is formed by the floor and the wall. the ladder is the hypotenuse (c) so plug in your numbers: a=9, b=x, c=15

9^2+ x^2= 15^2

then solve!

12 feet.

You use the pythagorean theorem. 15 is the hypotentuese so the equation is 225(15 squared) minus 81 (nine squared).