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| Math Central | Quandaries & Queries |
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Question from Susan, a parent: The foot of an extension ladder is 7 ft. from a wall. The height that the ladder reaches on the wall and the length of the ladder are consecutive integers. How long is the ladder? |
Susan,
If the wall is perpendicular to the ground then the ground, wall and ladder form a right triangle. Suppose the height that the ladder reaches the wall is x feet then the ladder is x + 1 feet long. What does Pythagoras tell you?
Penny
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