How Long is Santa's Slide Down the Roof?

[stargirl17]

Homework Statement

Santa is in trouble. His reindeer just made a rough crosswind landing on the snow covered apex of this gingerbread house. Upon impact the hitch breaks free and the reindeer shoot skyward leaving Santa teetering on the very peak. As he slightly shifts the sleigh tilts forward. Remembering his physics, Santa quickly surveys his predicament. He weighs 256 pounds, his center of mass is located 4 feet vertically above the roof, his skis are waxed, the roof has a 1-in-5 pitch, the side of the house is 12 feet high, the width of the house is 40 feet from the left edge to the right roof edge and the snow on the ground is 5 feet deep.

Homework Equations

a^2+b^2= c^2

The Attempt at a Solution

4 ft^2 + 20 ft^2 = c^2
20.40 ft = c

i don't know if this is the right answer or right equation. If the dimensions are right either

 

[Doc Al]

Looks good to me.

 

[kerimek]

way, Santa would need to slide down the roof at least 20.40 feet to reach the ground, assuming he doesn't hit any obstacles on the way down. However, this is not a safe or recommended course of action. It would be better for Santa to wait for help to arrive or carefully crawl down the roof. Additionally, the length of the roof is not explicitly stated in the given information, so it is impossible to accurately determine without further details.