SOLUTION: A tree casts a shadow that measures 5 m. At the same time, a meter stick casts a shadow that is 0.4 m long. How tall is the tree? Will someone please help me with this one? This

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Question 111893: A tree casts a shadow that measures 5 m. At the same time, a meter stick casts a
shadow that is 0.4 m long. How tall is the tree?
Will someone please help me with this one? This is my last question. Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving!!
Answer by solver91311(24713) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
This is a similar triangles problem. In this case, the long side of one triangle is the tree, the long side of the other triangle is the meter stick. The short sides are the lengths of the shadows, and the hypotenuse's are the sun's rays.

So, the height of the tree is in the same proportion to the length of the meter stick as the shadows are in proportion to each other.

, where x is the height of the tree in meters. The calculator says meters