Question

A 8-foot tall man is standing beside a 32-foot flagpole. The flagpole is

casting a shadow of 22.5 feet. How much longer is the shadow cast by the
flagpole than the shadow cast by the man?​

Answer 1

The flagpole's shadow is 16.875 feet longer than the man's shadow

Explanation:

The total length of the shadow is expressed by taking its actual length by a factor that depends on the position of the sun which is constant for the man too. The expression is as follows;

Height of the shadow=actual height of the flagpole×factor

where;

length of the flagpole's shadow=22.5 feet

actual height of the flagpole=32 feet

factor=f

replacing;

22.5=32×f

32 f=22.5

f=22.5/32

f=0.703125

Using this factor in the expression below;

Length of man's shadow=actual height of man×factor

where;

length of man's shadow=m

actual height of man=8 feet

factor=0.703125

replacing;

length of man's shadow=8×0.703125=5.625 feet

Determine how much longer the flagpole's shadow is as follows;

flagpoles shadow-man's shadow=22.5-5.625=16.875 feet

The flagpole's shadow is 16.875 feet longer than the man's shadow