If a stake is placed in the ground and is 20cm. high and casts a shadow 12.5 cm. long, what time is it? (The sun rises at 6 a.m. and is overhead at noon.)

Answer 1

Major assumption ....
You must be at the equator , or between the two Cancers.

tanØ = 20/12.5 = 1.6
Ø = 57.99 or 58°

The assumption is that the time from 6:00 am to noon, or 6 hours , is proportional to the angle of the sun from 0° to 90°

t/6 = 58/90
t = 6(58/90) = 3.8666..
= 3 hrs and 52 minutes

the time is 9:52 am