OpenStudy (anonymous):

A handy man knows from experience that his 29-foot ladder rests in its most stable position when the distance of its base from a wall is 1 foot farther than the height it reaches up the wall. 1) how far up a wall does this ladder reach? 2) how far should the base be from the wall? 3) If the man needs to reach a window 25feet high on the wall, how far from the wall should he place the base of the ladder?

2 years ago
OpenStudy (phi):

Did you draw a figure, and label what you know ?

2 years ago
OpenStudy (phi):

can you draw a figure ?

2 years ago
OpenStudy (phi):

2 years ago
OpenStudy (anonymous):

I know how to make the drawing the problem is i do not know how to solve the problem

2 years ago
OpenStudy (phi):

Using this info: the distance of its base from a wall is 1 foot farther than the height it reaches up the wall. and if we call the (unknown) height x, what is the distance along the ground ? (i.e. the bottom of the triangle) ?

2 years ago
OpenStudy (anonymous):

x+1

2 years ago
OpenStudy (anonymous):

i need help with part 2 and 3 of the question im not sure how to solve the problem and come up with the answer

2 years ago
OpenStudy (phi):

yes, that is good. |dw:1443126847208:dw|

2 years ago
OpenStudy (phi):

You have a right triangle. Do you know pythagoras formula?

2 years ago
OpenStudy (anonymous):

yes

2 years ago
OpenStudy (phi):

can you write down the formula, but using the sizes in the drawing ? i.e. legs are x and (x+1) and the hypotenuse is 29

2 years ago
OpenStudy (anonymous):

I HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED that. I need help with part 2 and 3 of the question.

2 years ago
OpenStudy (phi):

what did you get ?

2 years ago
OpenStudy (anonymous):

the height of the wall is 20ft

2 years ago
OpenStudy (phi):

yes, so that means in the picture x=20 the base of the triangle is x+1 so you can figure out answer to 2)

2 years ago
OpenStudy (phi):

For 3) If the man needs to reach a window 25feet high on the wall, how far from the wall should he place the base of the ladder? label a new figure |dw:1443127849854:dw|

2 years ago
OpenStudy (phi):

I would write down pythagoras using those values $x^2 +25^2 = 29^2$ can you solve for x ?

2 years ago
OpenStudy (anonymous):

is x 14?

2 years ago
OpenStudy (phi):

it's not exact. you need a calculator. or type into google sqrt(29^2 -25^2)= you get 14.6969... Do they ask you to round the answer ?

2 years ago
OpenStudy (anonymous):

yes thank you

2 years ago
OpenStudy (phi):

it rounds to 15 if you round to the nearest foot.

2 years ago