Question
upstudy study bank question image url

  1. CONSTRUCTION A roofer props a ladder against a wall so that the top of the ladder reaches a 30 -foot roof that needs
    repair. If the angle of elevation from the bottom of the ladder to the roof is , how far is the ladder from the base of
    the wall? Round your answer to the nearest foot.

Ask by Herrera Gross. in the United States
Mar 20,2025

Upstudy AI Solution

Tutor-Verified Answer

Answer

The ladder is approximately 21 feet away from the base of the wall.

Solution

Step 1: Identify the right triangle components
The ladder, wall, and ground form a right triangle. The height of the roof is the side opposite the angle, and the distance from the ladder to the wall is the side adjacent to the angle.
Step 2: Use the tangent function
In a right triangle, the tangent of an angle is the ratio of the opposite side to the adjacent side. Therefore,
where is the horizontal distance from the base of the wall to the ladder.
Step 3: Solve for
Rearrange the equation to solve for :
Step 4: Calculate
First, compute . Using a calculator,
Then,
Step 5: Round the answer
Since the problem asks for the answer rounded to the nearest foot,
Final Answer: feet.

Answered by UpStudy AI and reviewed by a Professional Tutor

error msg
Explain
Simplify this solution

Bonus Knowledge

To find how far the ladder is from the base of the wall, we can use trigonometry. We have the height of the roof (30 feet) and the angle of elevation (55 degrees). Using the sine function:
where is the length of the ladder. Rearranging gives us:
Now we can find the distance (the adjacent side) from the wall using the cosine function:
Thus, the distance from the wall (which we denote as ) is:
Calculating the values gives:
  1. feet (when using a calculator for sine).
  2. Then, feet.
So, the ladder is approximately 20 feet from the base of the wall.
Final rounded answer: 20 feet.

Try Premium now!
Try Premium and ask Thoth AI unlimited math questions now!
Maybe later Go Premium
Study can be a real struggle
Why not UpStudy it?
Select your plan below
Premium

You can enjoy

Start now
  • Step-by-step explanations
  • 24/7 expert live tutors
  • Unlimited number of questions
  • No interruptions
  • Full access to Answer and Solution
  • Full Access to PDF Chat, UpStudy Chat, Browsing Chat
Basic

Totally free but limited

  • Limited Solution
Welcome to UpStudy!
Please sign in to continue the Thoth AI Chat journey
Continue with Email
Or continue with
By clicking “Sign in”, you agree to our Terms of Use & Privacy Policy