Question

On a sunny day a telephone pole cast a shadow that is 10 feet long at the same time 36 inch yardstick cast a shadow that is 15 inches long?

Answer 1

The height of the telephone pole is 24 feet.

Explanation:

The same rays are falling on the pole and yardstick, so at the same time of day both pole and yardstick have same angle of elevation from the ground.

The height of yard stick is 36 inch and shadow is 15 inch long.

Let the height of pole be "x" , with shadow 10 feet long.

1 feet = 12 inches

The 2 triangles are similar. Thus,

`(x)/(36) = ((10)(12))/(15)`

x = 288 inches =
`(288)/(12) = 24 feet`

Thus, the height of telephone pole is 24 feet.