an oak tree casts a shadow that is 5 meters long. at the same time, a 6.2-meter-tall flagpole casts a shadow 4 meters long. how tall is the tree?
6.2/4 = x/5
Cross multiply and solve for x.
To find the height of the oak tree, we can use the concept of similar triangles. The ratio of the height of the tree to the length of its shadow will be the same as the ratio of the height of the flagpole to the length of its shadow.
Let's denote the height of the oak tree as "h" and the length of its shadow as "s", and the height of the flagpole as "H" and the length of its shadow as "S".
According to the problem, we have the following information:
For the oak tree: h (height) and s (shadow length)
For the flagpole: H (height) and S (shadow length)
Now we can use the proportionality relationship:
h/s = H/S
Substituting the given values:
h/5 = 6.2/4
To find the height of the tree (h), we can cross-multiply and solve for h:
h = (6.2/4) * 5
Now let's calculate:
h = 7.75 meters
Therefore, the oak tree's height is approximately 7.75 meters.