a ladder 2.5m long rests on a vertical wall at a height 1.5m above the level ground. calculate the distance of the wall from the foot of the ladder
Ahh, thank you Pythagoras!
a^2 + b^2 = c^2
1.5^2 + b^2 = 2.5^2
2.25 + b^2 = 6.25
b^2 = 4
b = 2 m
To calculate the distance of the wall from the foot of the ladder, we can use the Pythagorean theorem, which states that in a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides.
In this case, the ladder forms the hypotenuse, and the height of the wall and the distance from the foot of the ladder to the wall form the other two sides of the triangle.
Let's assume the distance from the foot of the ladder to the wall is "x" meters. Now, we can apply the Pythagorean theorem as follows:
h^2 + x^2 = L^2
Where:
h = height of the wall = 1.5m
x = distance from the foot of the ladder to the wall (unknown)
L = length of the ladder = 2.5m
Plugging in the values into the equation, we get:
1.5^2 + x^2 = 2.5^2
2.25 + x^2 = 6.25
Rearranging the equation:
x^2 = 6.25 - 2.25
x^2 = 4
Taking the square root of both sides:
x = √4
x = 2
Therefore, the distance from the foot of the ladder to the wall is 2 meters.