91Ó°ÊÓ

A wooden access ramp is being built to reach a platform that sits 30 inches above the floor. The ramp drops 2 inches for every 25-inch run.

Slope, $m=\frac{rise}{run}$

$m=\frac{-2}{25}$

y-intercept, $b=30$

The required equation is: $y=mx+b$

$y=-\frac{2}{25}x+30$

We have, $y=-\frac{2}{25}x+30$

to get x-intercept, put $y=0$in the above equation.

$0=-\frac{2}{25}x+30$

$\frac{2}{25}x=30$

$x=\frac{30×25}{2}$

$x=375$

It means that the ramp meets the floor 375 inches (31.25 feet) from the base of the platform.

Design requirements stipulate that the maximum run be 30 feet and that the maximum slope be a drop of 1 inch for each 12 inches of run. Therefore, the ramp does not meet the requirements as it has a run of 31.25 feet.

The only slope possible for the ramp to comply with the requirement is for it to drop 1 inch for every 12 inches run.