The distance in feet from the base of the wall to the bottom of the ladder is J. 4.0 ft.
Step-by-step explanation:
Step 1:
According to the Pythagorean theorem, the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides.
The hypotenuse is the longest side of a right-angled triangle and is the side opposite to the right angle.
The hypotenuse measures 20 feet. The other two sides measure 19.6 feet and x feet.
Step 2:
Substituting the values we know, we get
[tex]20^{2} = 19.6^{2} + x^{2} .[/tex]
[tex]x^{2} = 20^{2} - 19.6^{2}.[/tex]
[tex]x^{2} = 15.84, x = \sqrt{15.84}.[/tex]
[tex]x = 3.9799.[/tex]
This value is closest to the value of 4.0 ft which is option J.
