If the sun is 30o above the horizon, find the length of a shadow cast by a silo that is 60 feet tall.

Answer 1

Draw a line 30° up from the tip of the shadow, touching the top of the silo and in line with the sun.

tan(30°) = opposite/adjacent = silo_height/shadow_length = 60/x

x =60/tan(30°) = 60/(1/√3) = 60√3 ≈ 34.64 ft