Question

The size of an oil spill on the open ocean is difficult to measure
directly. Use the figure at the right to describe how you could find the
length of the oil spill indirectly. What measurements and calculations
would you use?

Answer 1

You have similar triangles here. Triangle BAC is similar to triangle DAE. Therefore, corresponding sides will be in equal proportion. Apparently, the problem wants you to get the length of AB. That means you have to be given the length of certain other sides. The problem doesn't specify what you know for sure, but you have to logically assume that you know certain other sides. If you know BC, DE, and AD, you could set up a proportion like this:

AB/AD = BC/DE

Answer 2

do i cross multiply using the proportion you used ^^

Answer 3

All good now, @highschoolmom2010 ?

Answer 4

so using ^^ i have gotten
ABDE=BCAD

Answer 5

so what do i do from this point @tcarroll010

Answer 6

Then you can divide both sides by DE to get:

AB = (BC)(AD)/(DE)

Answer 7

^^the right side of the = doesnt have DE though

Answer 8

As long as you divide (or multiply) both sides of the equation by the same non-zero number, it doesn't matter what the original equation contains. Dividing (or multiplying) both sides by the same number preserves the equality.

Answer 9

oh ok
so we end up with

Answer 10

like that??

Answer 11

What you wrote and what I wrote are the same exact thing in the same exact format.

Answer 12

just checking :D ty @tcarroll010

Answer 13

uw! Good luck in all of your studies and thx for the recognition! @highschoolmom2010