Question

Pythagorean Theorem word problem - A pole that is 2.9m tall casts a shadow that is 1.65m long. At the same time, a nearby building casts a shadow that is 42.25m long. How tall is the building? Round your answer to the nearest meter. How can I solve this? I know to use the Pythagoras theorem, but I only know a^2 for the building, I don't have c^2 which would give me the b^2 to get the building height. I guess I can assume there is a ratio between the building and the pole somehow, but that seems faulty. What am I missing?

Answer 1

you would assume that the shadow would be cast identical for both. So the pole and the building make up two similar triangles

Answer 2

draw