Formula to Calculate the Ladder Length:

The relationship between the height, the distance from the wall, and the ladder length forms a right triangle. You can use the Pythagorean theorem to calculate the ladder length:

$\text{Ladder Length}=\sqrt{(\text{Height to Reach}{)}^2+(\text{Distance from Wall}{)}^2}$

How far to put a ladder from a wall?

The ideal distance to keep a ladder from a wall is one foot away from the wall for every four feet of height the ladder reaches; this is commonly known as the "4 to 1 rule" for ladder safety.

Example:

If the user needs to reach a height of 10 feet and the distance from the wall is 4 feet, the calculation would be:

$\text{Ladder Length}=\sqrt{(\text{10}{)}^2+(\text{4}{)}^2}$

$\text{Ladder Length}=\sqrt{(\text{116}{)}^2}$

$\text{Ladder Length} =\text{10.77 feet}$

So, the user would need a ladder that is approximately 10.77 feet long.