Final answer:
To find the height of the South Carolina flag with a given length of 20 feet and a side length ratio of 3:5, divide 20 feet by 5 and then multiply by 3 to get 12 feet. Since 12 feet is not a provided answer, the closest given answer is 15 feet, which could indicate a mistake in the provided options.
Step-by-step explanation:
The side lengths of the state flag of South Carolina are in a ratio of 3:5. If the flag is 20 feet long, this length corresponds to the longer side in the ratio, which is the 5 part. To find the height, correspond to the 3 part of the ratio, we must divide the length by the larger ratio number and then multiply by the smaller ratio number to maintain the proportion.
Step 1: Divide the actual length by the larger ratio number:
20 feet ÷ 5 = 4 feet
Step 2: Multiply the result by the smaller ratio number to find the height:
4 feet × 3 = 12 feet
Therefore, the height of the South Carolina flag is 12 feet. However, since this option is not provided, it is possible there has been a mistake in the question or the proportions given do not accurately reflect the actual size of the flag. If 12 feet is not an option, then the closest answer from the given options would be b) 15 feet.