Problema Solution

The foot of a loading ramp 9 feet long is placed 7 feet from the base of the platform. The top of the ramp rests on the platform. How high is the platform?

Answer provided by our tutors

make a good drawing.


we need to find the one of the legs 'b' of a right triangle with one leg equal to a = 7 ft and hypotenuse c = 9 ft


using the Pythagorean Theorem we have


b^2 = c^2 - a^2


b^2 = 9^2 - 7^2


b^2 = 81 - 49


b^2 = 32


b = 5.66 ft


the platform is 5.66 ft high.