We can solve this problem by using the Pythagorean theorem, which states that in a right triangle, the sum of the squares of the lengths of the two shorter sides (the legs) is equal to the square of the length of the longest side (the hypotenuse).
In this case, the straw forms the hypotenuse of a right triangle, with the length of the box being one leg and the width of the box being the other leg. We can use the Pythagorean theorem to find the length of the straw.
The formula is a^2 + b^2 = c^2
So, in this case,
(4 inches)^2 + (9 inches)^2 = (c inches)^2
16 + 81 = c^2
97 = c^2
c = sqrt(97) inches
The length of the straw is approximately 9.848857801796104 inches in simplest radical form, c=sqrt(97) inches