document.write( "Question 355076: A man is walking away from a lamppost with a light source 6 m above the ground. The man is 2 m tall. How far from the lamppost is the man when his shadow is 5 m long? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #253621 by robertb(5830) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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Let x = distance of the man from the base of the lamppost.
\n" ); document.write( "Then x + 5=distance of the tip of the man's shadow from the base of the lamppost. Then by a direct application of similar triangles,
\n" ); document.write( " $\"%28x+%2B+5%29%2F6+=+5%2F2\"$ .
\n" ); document.write( "After cross-multiplication, $\"2%28x%2B5%29+=+30\"$ .
\n" ); document.write( " $\"x%2B5+=+15\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"x+=+10\"$ .
\n" ); document.write( "The man is 10 m away from the base of the lamppost. \n" ); document.write( "

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