Answer
14 ft
Work Step by Step
$x^2+(x+8)^2=36^2$
$x^2+x*x+8*x+x*8+8*8=1296$
$x^2+x^2+16x+64=1296$
$2x^2+16x-1232=0$
$(2x^2+16x-1232=0)/2$
$x^2+8x-616=0$
$x=(-b±\sqrt {b^2-4ac})/2a$
$x=(-8±\sqrt {8^2-4*1*-616})/2*1$
$x=(-8±\sqrt {64+2464})/2$
$x=(-8±\sqrt {2528})/2$
$x=(-8±\sqrt {2400+128})/2$
$x=(-8±\sqrt {600*4+32*4})/2$
$x=(-8±\sqrt {632*4})/2$
$x=(-8±2\sqrt {632})/2$
$x=(-4±\sqrt {632})$
$x=(-4±\sqrt {632})$
$x=-4±25.14$
$x=-4+25.14$
$x=21.14$
$x=-4-25.14$
$x=-29.14$ (we are talking distance, so this answer is not valid)
$21.14+(21.14+8)-36$
$42.28+8-36$
$42.28-28$
$14.28$
