Question

A five foot tall girl casts a 7 foot long shadow. A nearby telephone pole casts a 35 foot long shadow. What is the height of the telephone pole?

Answer 1

Answer: the height of the telephone pole is 25 feet.

Explanation:

First, make a proportion as such: 7/5=35/x. You are solving for x. Next, figure out what number multiplied by 7 is 35. The number is 5. Now, multiply 5 by 5, and that is the answer.

7/5=35/x

x=25

7/5=35/25

To doublecheck, you can divide both 35 and 25 by 5.

35/5=7

25/5=5

If you get 7/5, then the answer is correct.

Answer 2

25 feet

Explanation:

1. Set up a proportion

`(5)/(7)` =
`(x)/(35)`

x = the height of the telephone pole

2. Cross multiply

5 * 35 = 175

7 * x = 7x

175 = 7x

3. Solve for x

25 = x

The height of the telephone pole is 25 feet.