Can someone explain how to do this Geometry problem?

Eliot is playing football.

He is 6 feet tall.

He stands exactly half way between two floodlights.

The floodlights are 12 yards high and 50 yards apart.

The floodlights give Eliot two shadows, falling in opposite directions.

determine the total length of Eliot's shadows ...

Question

Mathematics

Miley Collier

10 September, 15:19

Can someone explain how to do this Geometry problem?

Eliot is playing football.

He is 6 feet tall.

He stands exactly half way between two floodlights.

The floodlights are 12 yards high and 50 yards apart.

The floodlights give Eliot two shadows, falling in opposite directions.

determine the total length of Eliot's shadows ...

+3

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Patricky · Answer 1

Okay so it is easiest to solve this problem by drawing it out. First draw Eliot and label it 6ft. Then draw the 2 floodlights on either side of him equal distances away and label them both 12 yds high. Label the distance between the floodlights 50yards. Then draw 2 diagonal lines one coming down on each side from Eliot's head to the bottom of the lights. You now have a triangle with one side labeled 6ft, one side labeled 25yds (50/2), and label the other side x. Then make sure you change the units so they are the same. Then use the pythagorean theorem to solve.