Crossed ladders and power means (Q942853)

The so called ``crossed ladders problem'' considers two ladders leaning against two vertical walls at heights \(a\) and \(b\) above the floor and with distance \(d\) between the walls. These ladders cross each other at a point with distance \(c\) above the floor. The problem is devoted to the determination of various types of relations between the above quantities. On the other hand, the power mean \(P_k\) is defined by: \[ P_k=\left(\frac{a^k+b^k}{2}\right)^{1/k} \quad\text{if }k\neq 0, \qquad P_0=\sqrt{ab}. \] The paper interprets some power means, namely \(P_{-2}\), \(P_{-1}\), \(P_{-\frac12}\), \(P_0\), \(P_{\frac12}\), \(P_1\) and \(P_2\), as lengths of lines appearing in the diagram of the previous problem.