Question

what is the minimum length the ladder must be to reach the roof? round your answer up to the nearest tenth of a foot. the ladder must be at least feet long to reach the roof of the house.

Explanation:

Step1: Identify right triangle sides

The vertical side $a=4$ ft, horizontal side $b=2$ ft.

Step2: Apply Pythagorean theorem

$$c = \sqrt{a^2 + b^2}$$
$$c = \sqrt{4^2 + 2^2} = \sqrt{16 + 4} = \sqrt{20} \approx 4.472$$

Step3: Round up to nearest tenth

Round $4.472$ up to $4.5$.

Answer:

4.5