Ladder leans against a 15-foot-tall building to form a right triangle. the ladder is placed so it is 8 feet from the base of the building. what is the length of the ladder?

Answer with Step-by-step explanation:

This problem can be modeled as a right angled triangle with base(distance between ladder and building) 8 feet and  height(Height of building) 15 feet.

We have to find the hypotenuse(Length of the ladder).

We use the Pythagorean theorem:

Hypotenuse²=Base²+Height²

Hypotenuse²=8²+15²

                    = 64+225

                    = 289

                    = 17²

⇒ Hypotenuse=17

Hence, Length of the ladder is:

17 feet

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step-by-step explanation: