Solve the problem.
-On a sunny day, a building and its shadow form the sides of a right triangle. If the hypotenuse is 36 m long and the shadow is 23 m, how tall is the building? (Round to the nearest tenth.)
A) 27.7 m
B) 22.2 m
C) 13.0 m
D) 42.7 m

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Using the Pythagorean theorem, $a^2 + b^2 = c^2$, where $c$ is the hypotenuse (36 m), and $b$ is the shadow (23 m). Solving for $a$ (the height of the building), $a = \sqrt{c^2 - b^2} = \sqrt{36^2 - 23^2} = \sqrt{1296 - 529} = \sqrt{767} \approx 27.7$ m.

Solve the Problem. -On a Sunny Day, a Building and Its Shadow Form