A ladder 15 feet long leans against a wall and forms an angle of 45o with the ground. How far from the wall is the ladder?
15 ft
7.5 ft
√2
7.5 √2

Question

A ladder 15 feet long leans against a wall and forms an angle of 45o with the ground. How far from the wall is the ladder?
15 ft
7.5 ft
√2
 7.5 √2

anonymous · Answer

I think it is either 7.5ft or 7.5√2
help?

nurali · Answer

0 inches, your problem states it "leans against a wall"
 
But the bottom of the ladder is 7.5*root(2) or about 10.5 feet from the wall, forming a triangle with a 15 foot hypotenuse and legs of 7.5*root(2).

anonymous · Answer

So the wall is 7.5 √2 from the wall?

nurali · Answer

Draw a picture and label the ground X, the wall Y, and do include the 45 degree angle. Next, use the fact that cos(45) = adjacent/hypotenuse. Or, cos(45) = x/15. Cross multiply, evaluate the value of cos(45), and solve for X. Ok?