Question

Carlota has leaned a ladder against the side of her house. The ladder forms a 53˚ angle with the ground and rests against the house at a spot that is 4 meters high.
Which length is the best approximation for the distance along the ground from the bottom of the ladder to the wall?

2 m

3 m

4 m

5 m

Answer 1

to solve the distance along the ground from the bottom of the ladder to the wall use to formula:
tan x = o / a
where is x the angle
o is the opposite of the angle
a is the adjacent side of the angle

since we are looking for a
a = o / tan x
a = 4 / tan ( 53)
a = 3 m is distance between the foot of the ladder and the wall