Question #113556
Louise is painting around a window frame on the outside of her house. Her ladder is 3.5m long and she placed it 1 m from the house. What is the vertical distance that the ladder reaches up the house? Round to one decimal place. Use the Pythagorean theorem.
1
Expert's answer
2020-05-04T18:39:06-0400

Consider the ladder leans against the wall of the house as shown in the figure below:





The figure above shown is a right angled triangle.


Here, a=1,b=y,c=3.5a=1,b=y,c=3.5


Recall the Pythagoras theorem c2=a2+b2c^2=a^2+b^2 .


Plug a=1,b=y,c=3.5a=1,b=y,c=3.5 into above formula as,


3.52=12+y23.5^2=1^2+y^2

12.25=1+y212.25=1+y^2


Subtract 11 from both sides to isolate the variable yy as,


12.251=1+y2112.25-1=1+y^2-1

11.25=y211.25=y^2

y2=454y^2=\frac{45}{4}


Rewrite the fraction 454\frac{45}{4} into perfect square as,


y2=(352)2y^2= (\frac{3\sqrt {5}}{2})^2


Using property of radicals, if x2=a2x^2=a^2 , then x=±a2=±ax=\pm \sqrt {a^2}=\pm a , therefore, the value of yy is,


y=±352y=\pm \frac{3\sqrt{5}}{2}


Since, negative value has no significant as it is a distance, so negative value neglected.


So, the value of yy is y=352y=\frac{3\sqrt{5}}{2}


Therefore, the vertical distance that the ladder reaches up the house is y=3523.4y=\frac{3\sqrt{5}}{2} \approx 3.4 m.




Need a fast expert's response?

Submit order

and get a quick answer at the best price

for any assignment or question with DETAILED EXPLANATIONS!

Comments

No comments. Be the first!
LATEST TUTORIALS
APPROVED BY CLIENTS