From a corner of a commercial building, how far should a ladder be placed?

• A. 8'
• B. 12'
• C. 16'
• D. 20'

Answer: (C)

When you place a ladder from a corner, you’re forming a right triangle with the ground and the wall. A simple, repeatable way to set it up is to use a 3-4-5 ratio on a 20-foot ladder. If the base is set 16 feet from the wall, the ladder length of 20 feet completes the triangle with a vertical reach of 12 feet (12-16-20 triangle). This configuration is a common, practical setup for corner access on commercial buildings, which is why the base distance from the corner is 16 feet. Other distances either give a different reach or require an angle that isn’t aligned with that standard, so 16 feet best fits the typical corner scenario.