Question

A building casts a shadow 49 feet long. At the same time, a 38-foot-tall flagpole casts a shadow 9.8 feet long. What is the height of the building?

a) 38 ft
b) 49 ft
c) 9.8 ft
d) The height of the building is 38×49/9.8 ft.

Answer 1

To find the height of the building, we can use the concept of similar triangles and the given ratios of heights to shadow lengths. By solving the equation, we find that the height of the building is approximately 190.61 feet.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the given information, we can use the concept of similar triangles to find the height of the building. The ratio of the height of the building to the length of its shadow should be the same as the ratio of the height of the flagpole to the length of its shadow.

Let x represent the height of the building. Therefore, we have the equation:

x/49 = 38/9.8

Cross multiplying gives us:

9.8x = 49 * 38

Dividing both sides by 9.8:

x = (49 * 38)/9.8

Using a calculator, we find that x is approximately 190.61 feet.