Question

for exercise 14, answer the question. 14. a tree in a schoolyard casts a 60 - inch shadow at the same time a nearby student casts a 17 - inch shadow. if the student is 68 inches tall, how many feet tall is the tree? (lesson 8)

Explanation:

Step1: Set up proportion

Let $h$ be the height of the tree in inches. Since the ratio of height to shadow - length is the same for the tree and the student, we have the proportion $\frac{h}{60}=\frac{68}{17}$.

Step2: Solve the proportion for $h$

Cross - multiply: $17h = 60\times68$. Then $h=\frac{60\times68}{17}$. Calculate $60\times68 = 4080$ and $\frac{4080}{17}=240$ inches.

Step3: Convert inches to feet

Since 1 foot = 12 inches, then the height of the tree in feet is $\frac{240}{12}=20$ feet.

Answer:

20