A six-foot tall person is standing next to a flagpole. The person is casting a shadow 1.5 feet in length, while the flagpole is casting a shadow 5 feet in length. How tall is the flagpole?
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1 point
30 feet
25 feet
20 feet
10 feet
Let's set up a proportion using the information given:
(height of person)/(length of person's shadow) = (height of flagpole)/(length of flagpole's shadow)
Using the values given, we have:
(6 feet)/(1.5 feet) = (height of flagpole)/(5 feet)
Cross-multiplying gives:
6 feet * 5 feet = (1.5 feet) * (height of flagpole)
30 feet = 1.5 feet * (height of flagpole)
Dividing both sides by 1.5 feet gives:
20 feet = height of flagpole
Therefore, the height of the flagpole is 20 feet.