Question

a shadow 3 meters long is cast by a statue that is 4 meters tall. what is the length of the shadow cast by a nearby maple tree that is 16 meters tall? write your answer as a whole number or a decimal. do not round. meters

Explanation:

Step1: Set up proportion

Let \(x\) be the length of the maple - tree's shadow. Since the ratio of object height to shadow length is the same for similar triangles, we have \(\frac{4}{3}=\frac{16}{x}\).

Step2: Cross - multiply

Cross - multiplying gives \(4x = 3\times16\).

Step3: Solve for \(x\)

\(4x=48\), then \(x=\frac{48}{4}\).

Answer:

\(12\)