At a particular time of the day, a vertical wooden rod of length $15\text{ cm}$ casts a shadow $30\text{…

At a particular time of the day, a vertical wooden rod of length $15\text{ cm}$ casts a shadow $30\text{ cm}$ long on flat ground. At the same time and place, a vertical metal pole casts a shadow $120\text{ cm}$ long. What is the height of the metal pole?
  1. $60\text{ cm}$
  2. $240\text{ cm}$
  3. $90\text{ cm}$
  4. $45\text{ cm}$

Solution

Under the same sun position, the ratio of object height to shadow length is constant ($15 : 30 = 1 : 2$). Therefore, a shadow length of $120\text{ cm}$ corresponds to an object height of $120 \div 2 = 60\text{ cm}$.

Asked in: Homi Bhabha Practice

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