SOLUTION: You measure the shadow cast by a certain tall building and find it to be 85 feet long. Then you measure the shadow cast by a three-foot post and find it to be 4 inches long. Determ
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Question 1020990: You measure the shadow cast by a certain tall building and find it to be 85 feet long. Then you measure the shadow cast by a three-foot post and find it to be 4 inches long. Determine the building's height. Answer by Cromlix(4381) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! Hi there,
Consider the post and its shadow as a right
angled triangle.
The post is the opposite side
The shadow is the adjacent side.
Using trigonometric ratios
tan(x) = opposite/adjacent
tan(x) = 36 inches/4 inches
tan(x) = 9
x = 83.66 degrees.
Now consider the building.
The building is the opposite side.
Its shadow is the adjacent side
tan(83.66) = opposite/1020 inches
Opposite = 1020 inches x tan(83.66)
Opposite = 9180.28 inches
= 765 feet.
This is the height of the building.
Hope this helps :-)
