Question

I need help solving this problem. It tells me that I could use any method provided above but I don't really get it. Could someone help?
The Problem:
You have to be careful when using a ladder. If you place the ladder too close to the wall, it could tip over. If you place the ladder too far from the wall, it could slide down. To prevent this, safety experts recommend the 4-to-1 Rule: for every 4 feet you want to go up the wall, place the base of the ladder one foot away from the wall.

The longest ladder available at many hardware stores is 40 feet. What is the highest you could reach with this ladder?

The problem gives me three methods to pick from to solve the problem. Each method had a clue underneath.

Hints:
Method 1: Know that the height must be 4x the base. Also know that hypotenuse is the longest side, so height must be shorter than 40 (and base must be shorter than 10 feet).

Method 2: Base^2+Height^2=40^2
Height= 4 • base

Method 3:
Base^2+Height^2=40^2
Base= 0.25 • height

The answers this problem asks for is:
The base, height and length.
​

Answer 1

Answer:

The highest you could reach with this ladder is 30 feet or 9.14 meters.