Final answer:
Ben's estimated square root of 20 inches to the nearest hundredth is Option A: 4.47, obtained by calculating the square root and rounding it to the nearest hundredth.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ben must find the estimated square root of 20 inches to the nearest hundredth. To do this, he can use a calculator or an estimation method. First, find the actual square root of 20 using a calculator, which yields a non-integer with more than two decimal places. Next, round this number to the nearest hundredth.
When rounding a number, if the digit in the thousandths place (the third decimal place) is 5 or higher, you round up. Otherwise, round down. In this case, the correct answer to the nearest hundredth for the square root of 20 is 4.47, because the square root of 20 is approximately 4.472136 and the digit in the thousandths place is above 5, requiring us to round up. Thus, the answer Ben should report is Option A: 4.47.