A 19 1/2 -foot ladder leans against a building. The base of the ladder is 7 1/2 ft from the building. How high up the building does the ladder reach?

18 feet

Step-by-step explanation:

you use the pythagoras theorem to solve this. we know the base is 7.5 or 14/2 and the hypotneus is 19.5

a^2 + b^2 = C^2

7.5^2 + b^2 = 19.5^2

b^2 = 19.5^2 - 7.5^2; b =

b = 18

(b) 240

step-by-step explanation:

first, we use the pythagorean formula using the given side lengths to find x. then we use x to find the side lengths. then we add the side lengths to find the perimeter.

pythagorean theorem formula:

a^2 + b^2 = c^2

(x - 20)^2 + (x - 40)^2 = x^2

x^2 - 40x + 400 + x^2 - 80x + 1600 = x^2

x^2 -120x + 2000 = 0

(x - 100)(x - 20) = 0

x - 100 = 0 or x - 20 = 0

x = 100 or x = 20

we see that the solution x = 20 must be discarded because it will give a negative side length and a side length of 0. the only valid solution is x = 100.

perimeter = sum of the lengths of the sides

perimeter = x + x - 20 + x - 40

perimeter = 3x - 60

replace x with 100.

perimeter = 3(100) - 60

perimeter = 300 - 60

perimeter = 240