Final answer:
The calculation involves the application of kinematic equations for free fall, specifically the distance covered in the last second of descent to determine the total height of the building.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question involves the calculation of a building's height based on the distance an object falls in the last second of its descent. Using the equations of motion and the given that the object falls a distance of h/3 in the last second, we can solve for h, the height of the building.
From physics, we know that the distance an object falls in the last second (s) can be expressed by the formula s = ut + 0.5gt², where u is the initial velocity (which is 0 because the object is dropped), t is the time (which is 1 second for the last second), and g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s²).
Because the distance fallen in the last second is h/3, we have h/3 = 0.5 * 9.8 * 1² from which we can calculate the value of h.