Question 15 Marks
A ladder rests against a wall at an angle $a$, to the horizontal. Its foot is pulled away from the wall through a distance ' $a$ ', so that it slides a distance ' $b$ ' down the wall making an angle $\beta$ with the horizontal. Show that $\frac{a}{b}=\frac{\cos \alpha-\cos \beta}{\sin \beta-\sin \alpha}$.
Answer
Let $C P$ and $D W$ be the two position of the ladder such that $C P=D W=x$ (say).
$
C D=a, P W=b, \angle A C P=\alpha \text { and } \angle A D W=\beta
$
In $\triangle \mathrm{APC}$,
$
\frac{\mathrm{AC}}{\mathrm{CP}}=\cos \alpha \Rightarrow \mathrm{AC}=\mathrm{x} \cos \alpha\ldots(i)
$
$
\begin{aligned}
& \operatorname{In} \triangle \mathrm{ADW} \\
& \frac{\mathrm{AD}}{\mathrm{DW}}=\cos \beta \Rightarrow \frac{\mathrm{AC}+\mathrm{CD}}{\mathrm{DW}}=\cos \beta \\
& \Rightarrow \frac{\mathrm{x} \cos \alpha+a}{\mathrm{x}}=\cos \beta \quad[\text { using (i)] } \\
& \Rightarrow \mathrm{x}=\frac{a}{\cos \beta-\cos \alpha}\ldots(ii)
\end{aligned}
$
Again in $\triangle A P C, \frac{A P}{C P}=\sin \alpha$
$\Rightarrow \mathrm{AP}=\mathrm{x} \sin \alpha=\frac{a \sin \alpha}{(\cos \beta-\cos \alpha)}$ ..(iii) [Using (ii)]
Again in $\triangle \mathrm{ADW}, \frac{\mathrm{AW}}{\mathrm{DW}}=\sin \beta$
$
\Rightarrow \mathrm{AW}=\mathrm{x} \sin \beta=\frac{a \sin \beta}{(\cos \beta-\cos \alpha)}\ldots(iv)
$
Now, $P W=A P-A W$
$
\begin{aligned}
& \Rightarrow b=\left(\frac{a \sin \alpha}{\cos \beta-\cos \alpha}\right)-\left(\frac{a \sin \beta}{\cos \beta-\cos \alpha}\right)=\frac{a(\sin \alpha-\sin \beta)}{(\cos \beta-\cos \alpha)} \\
& \Rightarrow \frac{a}{b}=\frac{\cos \beta-\cos \alpha}{\sin \alpha-\sin \beta}
\end{aligned}
$
Hence proved.
View full question & answer→
Let $C P$ and $D W$ be the two position of the ladder such that $C P=D W=x$ (say).
$
C D=a, P W=b, \angle A C P=\alpha \text { and } \angle A D W=\beta
$
In $\triangle \mathrm{APC}$,
$
\frac{\mathrm{AC}}{\mathrm{CP}}=\cos \alpha \Rightarrow \mathrm{AC}=\mathrm{x} \cos \alpha\ldots(i)
$
$
\begin{aligned}
& \operatorname{In} \triangle \mathrm{ADW} \\
& \frac{\mathrm{AD}}{\mathrm{DW}}=\cos \beta \Rightarrow \frac{\mathrm{AC}+\mathrm{CD}}{\mathrm{DW}}=\cos \beta \\
& \Rightarrow \frac{\mathrm{x} \cos \alpha+a}{\mathrm{x}}=\cos \beta \quad[\text { using (i)] } \\
& \Rightarrow \mathrm{x}=\frac{a}{\cos \beta-\cos \alpha}\ldots(ii)
\end{aligned}
$
Again in $\triangle A P C, \frac{A P}{C P}=\sin \alpha$
$\Rightarrow \mathrm{AP}=\mathrm{x} \sin \alpha=\frac{a \sin \alpha}{(\cos \beta-\cos \alpha)}$ ..(iii) [Using (ii)]
Again in $\triangle \mathrm{ADW}, \frac{\mathrm{AW}}{\mathrm{DW}}=\sin \beta$
$
\Rightarrow \mathrm{AW}=\mathrm{x} \sin \beta=\frac{a \sin \beta}{(\cos \beta-\cos \alpha)}\ldots(iv)
$
Now, $P W=A P-A W$
$
\begin{aligned}
& \Rightarrow b=\left(\frac{a \sin \alpha}{\cos \beta-\cos \alpha}\right)-\left(\frac{a \sin \beta}{\cos \beta-\cos \alpha}\right)=\frac{a(\sin \alpha-\sin \beta)}{(\cos \beta-\cos \alpha)} \\
& \Rightarrow \frac{a}{b}=\frac{\cos \beta-\cos \alpha}{\sin \alpha-\sin \beta}
\end{aligned}
$
Hence proved.



































