Can you work out at what height the ladders cross?
Are you surprised that we don't need to know the distance between the
two walls?
Suppose now the first ladder is 10m above the
base of the second wall, with the second ladder
remaining as before.
Can you work out at what height the ladders
cross now?
5m
Suppose the first ladder meets the wall at a
height of a metres, as in the diagram.
At what height do the ladders cross now?
Suppose the second ladder meets the wall at a
height of b metres, as in the diagram.
At what height do the ladders cross now?
5m
nrich.maths.org/510
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10m
a