Answer:
Step-by-step explanation:
The questions asks for how far down the wall does the ladder move, so to say that in another way, what is the difference between when the ladder is taller up the wall and when it is shorter up the wall.
so figure out what the height of the ladder is up the wall for each of the situations.
1) Taller
we are told the Hyp and the Adj sides of the triangle
so use SOH CAH TOA to remind how trig functions fit on the triangle sin = Opp / Hyp , Cos=Adj / Hyp , Tan = Opp / Adj so
Cos(Ф) = 7 / 25
Ф = arcCos( 7/25)
Ф = 73.739795 °
then use
Sin( 73.739795 ) = Opp / 25
25* Sin( 73.739795 ) = Opp
24 = Opp
2) Shorter
Cos(Ф) = 15 / 25
Ф = arcCos( 15 / 25 )
Ф = 53.13010 °
sin( 53.13010 ) = Opp / 25
25 * sin( 53.13010 ) = Opp
20 = Opp
now you know the two heights up the wall. so subtract the shorter from the taller
24 - 20 = 4
the ladder moves 4 feel down the wall :)