Question

a slide is 5 feet long and 4 feet high. how long is its base, from the bottom of the ladder to the end of the slide?
square feet

Explanation:

Step1: Apply Pythagorean theorem

Let the slide length be hypotenuse $c=5$ ft, height $a=4$ ft, base $b$. The theorem is $a^2 + b^2 = c^2$.

Step2: Rearrange to solve for $b$

$b^2 = c^2 - a^2$

Step3: Substitute values and calculate

$b^2 = 5^2 - 4^2 = 25 - 16 = 9$

Step4: Take square root of $b^2$

$b = \sqrt{9} = 3$

Answer:

3 feet