a 25ft ladder is leaning against a building. the base of the ladder is 6ft away from the building. how high up is the ladder?

Question

jim_thompson5910 · Answer

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jim_thompson5910 · Answer

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jim_thompson5910 · Answer

do you agree with the drawing?

aaliyahhailey · Answer

yes!

jim_thompson5910 · Answer

have you learned the pythagorean theorem?

aaliyahhailey · Answer

i have! a(2) + b(2) = c(2) correct?

jim_thompson5910 · Answer

I think you meant to say this?
$$\Large a^2 + b^2 = c^2$$

jim_thompson5910 · Answer

typing that on the keyboard, you'd say `a^2+b^2=c^2`

aaliyahhailey · Answer

yeah that's what i meant LOL (it's harder for me on a mac cause idk how to do the 2nd power option)

jim_thompson5910 · Answer

you hold the shift key down, then you hit the "6" key http://prntscr.com/b9nyu4 to get the `^` symbol

aaliyahhailey · Answer

ah alright! okay, i just need help starting off the problem and i'll understand the rest!

jim_thompson5910 · Answer

anyways, using the pythagorean theorem gives us

$$\Large a^2 + b^2 = c^2$$
$$\Large x^2 + 6^2 = 25^2$$
$$\Large x^2 + 36 = 625$$
how do we solve for x?

aaliyahhailey · Answer

wouldn't you use the 25^2 + 36?

jim_thompson5910 · Answer

in this case, 

a = x
b = 6

where 'a' and 'b' are the legs

c = 25 is the hypotenuse

jim_thompson5910 · Answer

IF 25 and 6 were the two legs, then you'd have 25^2+6^2 = 625+36

but that's not the case here

jim_thompson5910 · Answer

make sense? or no?