Question

A safe slope for a ladder is 1 ft of run for every 4 ft of rise. Vincent needs to use ladder to reach a window sill that is 22 ft above the ground. How far from the house should the base of the ladder be?

Answer 1

`5color(white)(.)"feet "6color(white)(.)"inches"`

Explanation:

This is a case of Similar Triangles so we could use ratio

`("up")/("along") -> 4/1 = 22/("along")`

To change 4 into 22 multiply by `22/4`. However what we do to the top we do to the bottom. For multiply and divide that is.

So we have: `" "(4xx22/4)/(1xx22/4) = (color(white)(.)22color(white)(.))/(22/4)`

`("up")/("along") =(color(white)(.)22color(white)(.))/(22/4)`

`"along "=22/4 = 5 1/2 feet`

`5color(white)(.)"feet "6color(white)(.)"inches"`