Question

A ladder 10 m long reaches the window of a house 8 m above the ground. Find the distance of the foot of the ladder from the base of the wall.

Answer 1

Let AB is the ladder and A is window.

Then, AB = 10 m and AC = 8 m

Let BC = x

In right ∆ABC,

By Pythagoras Theorem:

AB² = AC² + BC²

(10)² = 8² + x²

100 = 64 + x²

x² = 100 – 64 = 36

or x = 6

Therefore, Distance between foot of ladder and base of the wall is 6 m.