Question

oliver just went down the slide at the playground. he walks 4 feet to get from the end of the slide back to the ladder. then he climbs 8 feet to the top of the slide again. how long is the slide? if necessary, round to the nearest tenth. feet

Explanation:

Step1: Identify the right triangle

The slide, the ground from the end of the slide to the ladder, and the ladder form a right triangle. The ground distance is 4 feet (one leg), the ladder height is 8 feet (the other leg), and the slide is the hypotenuse.

Step2: Apply the Pythagorean theorem

The Pythagorean theorem is \( c = \sqrt{a^2 + b^2} \), where \( a = 4 \), \( b = 8 \), and \( c \) is the length of the slide.
Substitute the values: \( c = \sqrt{4^2 + 8^2} = \sqrt{16 + 64} = \sqrt{80} \approx 8.9 \) (rounded to the nearest tenth).

Answer:

8.9