Question

You are hiking along the California coast and wonder about the height of a particular Giant Redwood tree. You are 5

feet and nine inches tall and your shadow is 9 feet long. The shadow of the tree is 270 feet long, How tall is the tree?
Enter its height here:
feer.

Answer 1

172.5

Explanation:

Use similar triangles and a proportion.

(tree height)/(tree shadow length) = (your height)/(your shadow length)

x/(270 ft)= (5 ft 9 in.)/(9 ft)

x/(270 ft)= (5 ft + 9/12 ft)/(9 ft)

x/(270 ft)= (5.75 ft)/(9 ft)

9x = 270 * 5.75 ft

x = 30 * 5.75 ft

x = 172.5 ft