Question

A kite is tied to the ground. The rays from the sun hit the kite perpendicular to the kite string, casting a shadow of the kite on the ground. The coordinates in the diagram are given in feet. What is the distance from where the kite is tied to the shadow? Coordinates are (3,12) and (0,0).

Answer 1

Assuming the coordinates are for the kite and the shadow, then the equation describing the line from the kite to the shadow is

y = 4x
Its slope is 4, so the slope of the string is -1/4. Its equation is

y-12 = -1/4 (x-3)

So, the x-intercept is (51,0)

Thus, the distance is 51 ft

Answer 2

I have the same question but the coordinates are (0,0) for the end of the string, and (3,12) for where the sun hits the kite.

Answer 3

This question is rigged