A tightrope is stretched 30 feet above the ground between the Jay & the Tee buildings which are 50 feet apart. A tightrope walker, walking at a constant rate of 2 feet per second from point A to point B, is illuminated by a spotlight 70 feet above point A.
a) How fast is the shadow of the tightrope walker's feet moving along the ground when she is midway between the buildings?
b) How far from point A is the tightrope walker when the shadow of her feet reaches the base of the Tee building?
c) How fast is the shadow of the tightrope walker 's feet moving up the wall of the Tee building when she is 10 feet from point B?
2006-10-31 12:52:20 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
I would say the shadow is moving directly proportionately to herself... 2 feet/second. The rest of the problem is determined by visualizing the light source 70 feet above the 30 foot high tightrope and 50 feet away. It's a triangulation problem.
That's why the question only references the feet of the walker.
2006-10-31 13:01:32 · answer #1 · answered by J.D. 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is kind of hard to determine all those questions if you don't have some information related to the way the angle of the light influences the shadow. I would say you don't have enough information....
But it does sound like an IMP math problem :P
2006-10-31 13:40:08 · answer #2 · answered by ?:)? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
wow... its really a problem.. but it doesn't need calculus... just simple math...
2006-10-31 13:02:35 · answer #3 · answered by dumb-sel in distress 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋