5.1+Using+Shadows+to+Find+Heights

Big Idea Many things in our world are mathematically similar and we can use this to understand and describe the world around us.

EQ 4/5 What types situations can I use my similarity ideas to solve?

PM 11/19/08 Block C Problem 5.1

A. Use what you know about similar triangles to find the building’s height from the given measurements.

The building is 35m tall. Because 7m divided by 0.2m= 35m, so if you divide the building’s shadow by the meter stick’s shadow, you’ll get the answer.

B. With your class, choose a building or other object to estimate its height using the shadow method. In your answer include measurements, and explain in words and drawings how you used these measurements to find the object’s heigh 18/1.67=10.7m

We measured the 2 shadows and then took the building’s shadow and divided it by the meter stick’s shadow.