IXL - Similar figures: shadow word problems (Geometry practice)

A marble column that is 6 yards tall casts a shadow 8 yards long. If a nearby cherry tree is 3 yards tall, how long will the cherry tree's shadow be?

Write your answer as a whole number or a decimal. Do not round.

yards

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Learn with an example

question

If a yield sign is 3 yards tall and casts a shadow 4 yards long, then how long of a shadow will be cast by a nearby fir tree that is 6 yards tall?

Write your answer as a whole number or a decimal. Do not round.

yards

key idea

The sides of similar triangles are proportional.

solution

Draw diagrams to represent the situation.

3 yd

4 yd

6 yd

yield sign

fir tree

The triangles are similar because the angle of the sun is the same for both shadows. Set up a proportion using the side lengths and solve for n.

(

)

(

)

Multiply both sides by 6n

Simplify

Divide both sides by 3

The missing length is 8 yards.

Looking for more? Try these:

Lesson: Similar triangles

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Work it out

Not feeling ready yet? These can help:

M.4Side lengths and angle measures in similar figures

Lesson: Similar triangles

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