Problema Solution
Samantha wants to know how far above the ground the top of a leaning flagpole is directly overhead. The shadow cast by the pole is 7 meters long. Samantha holds a plumb bob with a string 3 meters long up to the flagpole and determines that the point of the plumb bob touches the ground is 24 cm from the base of the flagpole. How far above the ground is the top of the pole?
Answer provided by our tutors
let x = the distance of the top of the pole to the ground
make a good drawing and notice the similar triangles
x : 3 = 7 : 0.24
since 24 cm = 0.24 m
by solving we find
x = 87.5 m
click here to see the step by step solution of the equation
the top of the pole is 87.5 meters above the ground.