Answer: 45.8
Step-by-step explanation:
1. Find how far the bottom of the ladder is from the bottom of the house:
(use Pythagorean theorem)
(48)2 (50)2
a2 + 2304 = 2500
-2304 -2304
a2= 196
square root 196 = 14 ( ignore negative root, the length must be positive)
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Then find how far the top of the ladder is from the ground once it is put in its new position:
(20)2 (50)2
a2 + 400 = 2500
-400 -400
a2 = 2100
square root 2100
a = 45.825756
a ≈ 45.8 (round to the nearest tenth)
