Question

A 25 metre long ladder reached a window 15 m high from the ground on placing against a wall at a distance of X metres. Find the distance X of the foot of the ladder from the wall.

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

Suppose that AB is the ladder, B is the window and CB is the building. Then, triangle ABC is a right triangle with right-angle at C.

By pythagoras theoram, we have

∴ AB

2

=AC

2

+BC

2

⇒ 25

2

=AC

2

+20

2

⇒ AC

2

=625−400=225

⇒ AC=

225

m=15m

Hence, the foot of the ladder is at a distance 15m from the building.