Question

A carpenter braces a 10-ft x 15-ft wall by nailing a board diagonally across the wall. How long is the bracing board? Write your answer in simplest radical form and round the answer to the nearest tenth.

Answer 1

Radical: 5√13

Decimal: 18.0

Explanation:

Given the dimension of the board given as 10ft by 15ft

If the board is nailed diagonally, the length of the bracing board will be gotten using the pythagoras theorem;

d² = 10² + 15²

d² = 100 + 225

d² = 325

d = √325

Expressing in radical form;

d = √325

d = √25*13

d = 5√13

Hence the length of the board in radical form is 5√13 feet

Express in decimal form;

d = √325

d = 18.0

Hence the length of the board to the nearest tenth is 18.0 feet