The formula to calculate ladder height is:
\[ \text{LH} = \sqrt{H^2 + \left(\frac{H}{4}\right)^2} + 2 \]
Where:
A ladder should always be placed at an angle of roughly 75 degrees to the surface you are working on. This leads to a "base" length of 1/4 that of the height of the object you are reaching. Add in 2 extra feet on all surfaces for safety.
Let's consider an example:
Using the formula to calculate the ladder height:
\[ \text{LH} = \sqrt{16^2 + \left(\frac{16}{4}\right)^2} + 2 = \sqrt{256 + 16} + 2 = \sqrt{272} + 2 \approx 16.49 + 2 = 18.49 \text{ ft} \]
This demonstrates that with an object height of 16 ft, the ladder height should be approximately 18.49 ft. ✅
