Question

A school building has a height of 40 feet. Its shadow is currently 13.5 feet long, and the shadow of the church next door is 20.7 feet long. How would you use similar triangles to calculate the height of the church to the nearest tenth of a foot?

Answer 1

church height `= 61.3` feet

Explanation:

Ratios:
`color(white)("XXX")("school height")/("school shadow") = ("church height")/("church shadow")`

Using the given data:
`color(white)("XXX")40/13.5 = ("church height")/20.7`

`"church height" = (40xx20.7)/13.5 = 61.333..."`