Triggonometry Question

[ButBut]

hello, this is trignometry question. its a story problem. when the base of a ladder that had been resting flat against a wall is pulled out 4 meters, the top of the ladder descends one-fifth of the length of the ladder. what is the length of the ladder thank u

[sql_lall]

Do i smell homework???

Seeing as this was your 20th post, not just your first, i will help you.
1) Draw a diagram -most helpful!!
2) Label as much as possible
i.e. let the length of the ladder be k => the initial height = k, the new height be...
3) In your answer use stuff like: "Assuming that the angle formed between the ground and the wall is a right angle..." and "taking the 'top of the ladder' mentioned here to mean the lop of the side pole, not the top of the highest rung..."
4) If you can't do it using trig, solve using pythagoras (simpler), then work backwards to solve using trig. When writing up your answer, only write the trig. part

I'm sorry, i can't say much more without answering it.

[sql_loll]

Do i smell ?

1) Draw a picture of your house
2) Draw trees around your house
3) Do other rubbish

I'm sorry, i can't say much more because i don't know the answer.

[sql_lall]

I'm sorry if i have offeded you, Butbut.

If you are sql_loll, then i'm sorry i mentioned whatever i did, but i did help answer the question, didn't I??
If you aren't sql_loll, the i'm terribly sorry for the interruption, I'll keep looking.

[wy125]

Let me see:

At first the entire length of the ladder, L, lies flat against the wall.

Then the ladder is pulled away so that the base is 4 feet away from the wall and the top of the ladder descends 1/5 the length of the ladder.

So, if you were to draw a diagram, you would see that the final result would be a right triangle with a base of 4, a hypotenuse of L, and a height of 4/5 L.

Using the pythagorean theorem you get:

L^2 = (4/5 L)^2 + 4^2 = 16/25 L^2 + 16

L^2(1 - 16/25) = 16

L^2 = 16/(9/25)

L = 4 x 5/3

L = 20/3 = 6 2/3