Calculating the Speed of a 4m Ladder Sliding Down a Wall

[dcgirl16]

a ladder 4m long rests against a vertical wall. If the bottom of the ladder slides away from the wall at a speed of 30cm/s. How quickly is the top of the ladder sliding down the wall when the bottom of the ladder is 2m from the wall.

 

[Office_Shredder]

I think homework questions are supposed to be in the homework section (and this is definitely a homework question).

However, your best bet would be to write down any relationship you can find between the distance from the wall of the bottom of the ladder, the height of the top of the ladder, and the length of the ladder

 

[HallsofIvy]

At least show some work? Have you drawn a picture? Do you see a triangle in the picture? Does the Pythagorean theorem sound like a good way of connecting the various lengths in the picture?

 

[dcgirl16]

if i knew how to do this i wouldn't be on this site, yeah it is a hwk question but its a general question that pretty much sums up everything i don't know. its not like I am using this to try and get you to do my hwk for me its so i can understand how to do it.

 

[cristo]

if i knew how to do this i wouldn't be on this site, yeah it is a hwk question but its a general question that pretty much sums up everything i don't know. its not like I am using this to try and get you to do my hwk for me its so i can understand how to do it.

But, if I told you the answer, then you still wouldn't know how to do it would you? Can you answer any of the points that HallsofIvy made?