can someone help me with this question:
A ladder is leaning against a wall. It is 5 ½ feet from the wall and has an angle of elevation 55°. How long is the ladder?

Question

can someone help me with this question:    
A ladder is leaning against a wall. It is 5 ½ feet from the wall and has an angle of elevation 55°. How long is the ladder?

anonymous · Answer

5'5?

campbell_st · Answer

draw a diagram and show the information 


|dw:1396636916544:dw|

now decide with trig ratio will allow you to find the length of the ladder

anonymous · Answer

sin is O/H cos is A/H and tan is O/A

campbell_st · Answer

so the ladder will be the hypotenuse.... so do you have the opposite side or the adjacent side...?

anonymous · Answer

adjacent

anonymous · Answer

65 inches

campbell_st · Answer

ok... so you have 

$$\cos(55) =\frac{65}{H}$$

now make H the subject so you can find the length of the ladder

anonymous · Answer

yeah Im working it out now thanks i think i got it

anonymous · Answer

where are we getting the 65? I think we are wrong

anonymous · Answer

65 inches or 6'5inches?

campbell_st · Answer

12 inches = 1 ft

so 5 ft = 5* 12 = 60

and so its 60 + 5 = 65 inches...