Shadow Lab

by: JC Tyler and Adithya Ruvva

The Concept of Similar Triangles:

The concept behind similar triangles is the reason why we were able to find the height of the light pole. The definition of similar triangles is that if two of the corresponding angles and sides of two triangles are proportional, then the two triangles are similar.

2 8

4 x

Example: In this diagram you can see that the two sides are proportional and if you make the two corresponding sides into ratios, you can find x. You already know that the triangles are similar because of AA Similar Criterion which states that if two corresponding angles in two triangles are congruent, then the triangles are similar.

This is how you would set the ratios up: 2/8=4/x. Then you would solve it and find out that x is 16. To check if it is true you would see if 2/8 equals 4/16 and it does so the two triangles are similar.

Reasoning and Measurements:

Outside on Monday, we were assigned to a light pole in the quad. Our task was to find the height of the light pole by using similar triangle theorems. We did this by measuring the length of the light poles shadow. We also had to measure the height of a meter stick and its shadow. Next we had to prove that the two triangles are similar by using multiple similar triangle theorems. After we found this out we could set up ratios of the two triangles corresponding sides and solve to find the height of the light pole. This is a great way to use multiple strategies to find something that you couldnt physically measure.

Measurements and Diagram:

Light Pole: Meter Stick: Suns Ray 99 cm

Shadow=800 cm

Shadow=202 cm

Solving: To find the height of the light pole we used AA Similar Criterion. This means that we were able to find that the triangles are similar by their two corresponding angles being congruent. For the first angle we knew that the light pole and the meter stick were both perpendicular to the ground which means that they are both right angles. By the theorem that states that all right angles are congruent, we know that one of the two corresponding angles are congruent. We are know half way done with proving that the triangles are similar. To find the next angle at the top of the triangles we used the knowledge of knowing that one of the Suns rays hits both of the triangles at that spot and creates similar angles. Since we now have two sets of congruent angles, we know the triangles are similar. Now all we have to do is set up the ratios. Since we know the triangles are similar we know the corresponding sides are congruent so we set up these ratios: x/99=800/202. Then we calculated the equation and found that x equals approximately 392 cm. We have now found the height of the light pole and completed the task.

Picture:
This is a picture of J.C measuring the shadow of the meter stick.

Leading Edge Pillar:

This project connects very well to critical thinking. It connects well because we had to use a lot of things that we learned in class and apply them to this project to find the height of the light pole. We had to also calculate and think a lot about what ratios and proportions to make. I also think math is the subject that mostly applies to critical thinking and problem solving. Overall this was a very fun and interesting real life project.