189k views
5 votes
A tree outside Ellie's house casts a 125-foot shadow. At the same time of the day, Ellie casts a 5.5-foot shadow. If Ellie is 4 feet 10 inches tall, how tall is the tree in feet?

A tree outside Ellie's house casts a 125-foot shadow. At the same time of the day-example-1
User Genu
by
9.1k points

2 Answers

2 votes

Answer:

The tall tree is about 109.85

Explanation:

Hope this helps!

User Smaran
by
8.3k points
7 votes

Answer:

The tall of the tree is about 109.85 feet

Explanation:

* Lets study the situation in the problem

- The tree and its shadow formed a right angle triangle with legs

x the tall of the tree and 125 feet the shadow of the tree

- Ellie and her shadow formed a right triangle with legs 4 feet and

10 inches the tall of Ellie and 5.5 feet the shadow of Ellie

- The two triangles are similar

- There is an equal ratio between the corresponding sides of the

similar triangles

# Ex: If triangles ABC and XYZ are similar

∴ AB/XY = BC/YZ = AC/XZ

* Lets use this rule to solve the problem

∵ The tall of the tree is x

∵ The tall of Ellie is 4 feet and 10 inches

- Lets change the tall of Ellie to feet only

∵ 1 foot = 12 inches

∴ 10 inches = 10/12 = 5/6 foot

∴ The tall of Ellie is 4 feet and 5/6 foot = 4 + 5/6 = 29/6 feet

∵ The shadow of the tree is 125 feet

∵ The shadow of Ellie is 5.5 feet

- By using similarity ratio

∴ Tall of tree/tall of Ellie = shadow of tree/shadow of Ellie

∴ x/(29/6) = 125/5.5 ⇒ using cross multiplication

∴ 5.5(x) = 125(29/6) ⇒ divide both sides by 5.5

∴ x ≅ 109.85 feet

* The tall of the tree is about 109.85 feet

User Aeradriel
by
8.6k points
Welcome to QAmmunity.org, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of our community.