Math Problem Statement

The length of a shadow of a building is 30 m. The distance from the top of the building to the tip of the shadow is 37 m. Find the height of the building. If necessary, round your answer to the nearest tenth.

Solution

To solve this problem, we need to use the Pythagorean theorem, since the building, its shadow, and the line from the top of the building to the tip of the shadow form a right triangle.

The Pythagorean theorem states: a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2 where aa and bb are the legs of the triangle, and cc is the hypotenuse.

  • The length of the shadow is 30m30 \, \text{m}, which is one leg of the triangle.
  • The distance from the top of the building to the tip of the shadow is 37m37 \, \text{m}, which is the hypotenuse.
  • We need to find the height of the building, which is the other leg.

Let hh be the height of the building. Using the Pythagorean theorem: h2+302=372h^2 + 30^2 = 37^2 Now, let's solve for hh.

h2+900=1369h^2 + 900 = 1369 h2=1369900h^2 = 1369 - 900 h2=469h^2 = 469 h=469h = \sqrt{469} h21.7mh \approx 21.7 \, \text{m}

The height of the building is approximately 21.7 meters.

Would you like further details or explanations? Here are five related questions you could explore:

  1. How do you determine if a triangle is a right triangle using side lengths?
  2. What are some real-life applications of the Pythagorean theorem?
  3. How would the problem change if the shadow length was longer than the distance to the tip?
  4. Can the Pythagorean theorem be used for non-right triangles? If not, what other methods are there?
  5. How would you calculate the height of the building if you were only given angles?

Tip: When using the Pythagorean theorem, always ensure the hypotenuse is correctly identified as the longest side of the triangle.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Geometry
Right Triangles
Pythagorean Theorem

Formulas

a^2 + b^2 = c^2

Theorems

Pythagorean Theorem

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 7-10