A four-foot tall boy is standing next to a flagpole. The person is casting a shadow 2 feet in length, while the flagpole is casting a shadow 5 feet in length. How tall is the flagpole?

Question

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1 point
30 feet
25 feet
20 feet
10 feet

Answer 1

To solve this problem, we can use similar triangles.

Let's label the height of the flagpole as 'x'.

According to the given information, we have the following ratio:

Height of the boy / Length of boy's shadow = Height of the flagpole / Length of flagpole's shadow

4 feet / 2 feet = x / 5 feet

Using cross multiplication, we get:

4 feet * 5 feet = 2 feet * x

20 feet = 2 feet * x

Dividing both sides by 2 feet, we have:

x = 20 feet

Therefore, the flagpole is 20 feet tall.

The correct answer is 20 feet.