Question

One sunny day, Mr. Snaffle, the junior high math teacher, sent his students outside with a measuring tape and a list of objects. The students were to determine the height of all the objects on the list. Some of the objects, like the flag pole, were taller than the students could measure directly. Describe a method by which the students could obtain the desired measurements indirectly.

Answer 1

*In case of Objects that are taller than students which are not not able to measure directly can be measured Using shadow of that object.

* Example , lets take we need to measure heiht of pole .

* Take some one meter stick , and keep that stick near to pole , As the shodows of both pole & stick lie on ground , students can measure

*now equate the ratio of actual height & length of shadow , as the suns angle is same , the ratio will be equal

* actual height of stick / shdow height of stick = actual height of pole / shdow height of pole

*In above equation the unknown tern is , actual height of pole, all other terms are known .

* Hence , in this method we can measure height of pole , wichout measuring it.