[Elecraft] OT: math question

[AD5MA]

I always like to ask... "Is this a trick question?"

The way the problem is worded (and if I understand your geometry correctly)
implies an infinite number of solutions as long as the 20 foot ladder can
span the alley. Therefore, the width is anything less than or equal to 20
feet.

Al.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dan Barker" <dbarker at visioncomm.net>
To: <Able2fly at aol.com>; "Elecraft" <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 2:22 PM
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] OT: math question


> I ran into a brain-teaser once, that had me baffled for hours (I won't say
> how many). Finally, I called my sister, the Rocket Scientist ("actually,
> we're not _Rocket_ scientists" - That's a quote from her husband) and
asked
> her.
>
> She and Paul spent a few minutes on the problem, figured it out, but it
was
> such a trivial answer they threw it away. Since I'd spent so long on the
> Question, I gave her about a week and then I called back. Luckily they'd
not
> taken out the trash, so she easily found their notes and read them to me.
>
> I won't spoil it for you 'crafters.
>
> Dan / WG4S / K2 #2456
>
> Problem: An alley has a 20-foot ladder across it, in the left lower corner
> and leaning on the right wall. There also is a 30-foot ladder, from the
> right lower corner leaning on the left wall. The laders cross at 10 feet
> high.
>
> How wide is the alley?
>
> Usual conventions: alley is all right angles, ladders have no thickness
nor
> bends, blah blah blah...
>
> This should make some juices flow out there. Just simple geometry, or is
it?
>
>
> PS: Iteration is cheating. Sorry Issac.
>
>
> <snip>
>  the responses would be far more interesting than merely "looking up" the
> answer
> </snip>
>
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