Question

To use an extension ladder safely, the base must be 1 m out from the wall for every 2 m of vertical height.
a) What is the maximum angle of elevation, to the nearest degree, to
the top of the ladder?
b) If the ladder is extended to 4.72 m in length, how high can it safely
reach? Round your answer to the nearest hundredth of a metre.
c) How far out from the wall does a 5.9 m ladder need to be? Round
your answer to the nearest tenth of a metre.

Answer 1

you want an angle of x, where

tan(x) = 2/1

The rest just use the Pythagorean Theorem.

Answer 2

To use an extension ladder safely, the base must be 1 m out from the wall for every 2 m of vertical height.
a) What is the maximum angle of elevation, to the nearest degree, to
the top of the ladder?
b) If the ladder is extended to 4.72 m in length, how high can it safely
reach? Round your answer to the nearest hundredth of a metre.
c) How far out from the wall does a 5.9 m ladder need to be? Round
your answer to the nearest tenth of a metre.