Final answer:
By using proportions, we compare the known heights and shadow lengths of a Christmas tree and turkey and find that the turkey's shadow is approximately 0.54 feet long.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking about the length of a shadow cast by a turkey standing next to a 28-foot Christmas tree, given that the tree casts a 5-foot shadow. To find the shadow length of the turkey, we can use proportions since the shadow cast by an object is directly proportional to its height when the sun's rays are at the same angle.
Let's call the length of the turkey's shadow 'x'. We have two similar triangles: the triangle formed by the height of the Christmas tree and its shadow, and the triangle formed by the height of the turkey and its shadow. Using the proportions we have:
Height of Tree / Length of Tree Shadow = Height of Turkey / Length of Turkey Shadow
28 feet / 5 feet = 3 feet / x
By cross-multiplying, we get:
28 * x = 3 * 5
x = (3 * 5) / 28
x = 15 / 28 feet
To simplify this, we can divide 15 by 28, which gives us:
x ≈ 0.54 feet
Therefore, the turkey's shadow is approximately 0.54 feet long.