document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=155516>Question 155516</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> I have a solution of 3.1875 meters for this problem but it is in error.  (I calculated height/distance from lamppost to the man as 8/15; calculated height/distance from man to end of shadow as 1.7/x).  I appreciate your help!\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "A man is walking away from a lamppost with a light source 8 meters above the ground.  The man is 1.7 meters tall.  How long is the man's shadow when he is 15 meters from the lamppost?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Thanks, Linda </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #114540 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Earlsdon><B>Earlsdon(6294)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Earlsdon><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=114540\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> You can use the priniples of similar triangles here.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Let the length of the man's shadow be x meters.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The 8-meter lampost is the height of the first right triangle while the 1.7-meter man is the height of the second right triangle.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The base of the first triangle is 15+x meters while the base of the second right triangle is x meters, which is what we are trying to find.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The rule is \"Corresponding sides of similar triangles are proportional\"<BR>\n" );
document.write( "So we can write the proportion:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=8%2F%28x%2B15%29+=+1.7%2Fx ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"8%2F%28x%2B15%29+=+1.7%2Fx\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Do you see this? Now we solve for x, the length of the man's shadow by cross-multiplying.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=8x+=+1.7%28x%2B15%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"8x+=+1.7%28x%2B15%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Simplifying, we get:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=8x+=+1.7x%2B25.5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"8x+=+1.7x%2B25.5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Subtract 1.7x from both sides.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=6.3x+=+25.5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"6.3x+=+25.5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Divide both sides by 6.3<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+4.047 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+4.047\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The length of the man's shadow is 4.047 meters (approximately). </SPAN>\n" );
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