Question

A ladder 17 m long reaches a window above the ground. If the distance of the foot of ladder from wall is 8 m, the height of the window is ______.

Options

• 12 m

• 15 m

• 12 cm

• 14 m

Answer 1

A ladder 17 m long reaches a window above the ground. If the distance of the foot of ladder from wall is 8 m, the height of the window is 15 m.

Explanation:

The ladder, wall and ground form a right triangle with hypotenuse 17 m and base 8 m.

By Pythagoras,

Height² = 17² – 8² 

= 289 – 64

= 225

So, height

= `sqrt(225)`

= 15 m