Final answer:
Jacob needs to make the minimum distance from the train track to the bottom of the bridge 10.64 cm to have a 2-cm gap above his tallest train, which is 8.64 cm tall.
Step-by-step explanation:
Jacob is making a model bridge and wants to ensure there is a 2-cm gap above his tallest train, which is 8.64 cm in height. To calculate the minimum distance from the train track to the bottom of the bridge, we simply add the height of the tallest train to the desired gap. Therefore, the minimum distance should be 8.64 cm + 2 cm, which equals 10.64 cm. This will allow the tallest train to pass under the bridge with the specified clearance.