Similar Triangles Applied

IN D IR EC T
M EA S U R EM EN T
O rigins of
Indirect M easurem ent
Indirect Measurements is used to
find the distances & lengths to
a measurement difficult to
directly measure.

Thales was the first greek

mathematician. Legend says
that he was the first to
determine the height of the
pyramids in Egypt by
examining the shadows made
by the Sun.
O ur Purpose
We will be
calculating the
height of an
object that is
too tall to
measure
directly. We
chose the
basketball rim.
We will use 3
methods of
indirect
measurement to
measure the
same object.
This will allow
us to compare
our answers
and determine
whether our
methods are
reliable.
M ethod # 1 Tangent Ratio
Description: We used the tangent ratio to find out the height of the rim.
By using a Clinometer and holding it to our eye to look at the rim gave
us our tangent angle. Next we measured the middle of his foot(apx.
eye location) to the start of the rim. By doing this, it gave us our
adjacent side of the imaginary triangle. The next step would be
figuring out our opposite side. We have enough information to make
an equation and solve. After we solve for our opposite side we can
add that to his eye level height and have our desired height aka the
height of the basketball rim.

28

61

72
M ethod # 1 Calculations

equation:
tan 28 = x / 72
tan (clinometer measurement) = (eye height to
rim) / (floor to eye height)

( 72 ) tan 28 = ( x / 72 ) ( 72 )
72tan 28 = x
38.2830 = x
38.2830 + 61 = 99.283
M ethod # 2 Shadow
M ethod
Description: We created overlapping triangles by using the sun to cast a
shadow on the pole and Raymond standing on its path. Both shadows end
at the same point(socorros feet) and make the reflexive property. We know
that there is a 90 degree angle by Raymonds foot and the poles base by the
floor being flat and them both being vertically up in other words they are
perpindicular, now we can assume these two imaginary triangles are similar.

Now we measure Raymonds height and the poles height, that would be our
first proportion ( 68 / x ). Then we measure from the base of the pole to the
end of its shadow and from Raymonds feet to the end of his shadow, that
makes our second proportion ( 46 / 90 ).

68

46
90
 M ethod # 2 Proportion

90 x
__ = __

46 68

(poles shadow) = 90
(Raymonds shadow) = 46
(poles height) = x
(Raymonds height) = 68

90
__ = approx. 1.9

46

68 x 1.9 = x

x = aprox. 129.2 inches

 M ethod # 3 M irror M ethod
We can assume there is a pair of similar triangles by placing the mirror in
front of our object and backing away till we see the top our object. The small
triangle is just scaled down version of the triangle on the right.
To figure out how much of an increase from the small triangle to big one we
have to make proportions, our first would be the poles base to the mirror
over Soccoros feet to the mirror ( 74 / 37 ). Then the poles height over
Socorros height ( x / 64 ).

64

37 74
 M ethod # 3 Proportion

74 x
__ = __

37 64

(length from mirror to poles base) = 74

(length from Socorros feet to mirror) = 37
(poles height) = x
(Socorros eye height) = 64

74
__ = 2

37

64 x 2 = x

128 = x
 Method #4 30 60 90

This method was done by using the 30 60 90 theory. When

a triangle has a right angle and has a 30 degree angle you
can confirm the other will be 60 or vis versa. To determine
our 90 degree angle we used to pole and the floor as
perpendicular lines. To create our 60 degree angle we used
our clinometer, which is where Socorro's eye is. Now we
know where the 30 degree angle is, which is at the top of
the pole. Now that we have confirmed this is 30 60 90
triangle we can measure our main components which is our
short leg (distance from Socorro's feet to base of pole ) and
the height from her feet to her eye. We now solve for our
long leg which is ( short leg times the square root of 3 ). To
find out the poles height we add the long leg of the triangle
and the height of Socorro's eye.

30

60

65

29
Method #4 30 60 90

29 3 = 50.2294

(opposite side of angle 60) = 29 3

29 3 = 50.2294
50.2294 + 65 = approx. 115.2294
Method #5 45 45 90

For this method we used the 45 45 90 triangle theorem.

When a triangle has a right angle and one of the other
angles is 45 the other has to be 45 because it makes a
full 180 degrees. The pole and floor are perpendicular so
we know we have a right angle there. With a clinometer
we were able to determine where to stand to make a 45
degree angle which would located on our eye. The
remaining angle which at the top of the pole is 45 also.
We now measure the base of the pole to Socorros feet
and the height of floor to Socorro's eye. To find out the
poles height we add the opposite side of the angle near
Soccoros eye and the height to Soccoros eye.

45

45

66

82
Method #5 45 45 90

82 + 66 = 148

82 = (distance from Socorros feet to base of pole)

66 = (Socorros eye height)
Results Com parison

Method #1 Method #2 Method #3

Tangent Shadow Mirror
tan 28 = x / 72 90 x 74 x
__ = __ __ = __
38.2830 = x
46 68 37 64
38.2830 + 61 = x = approx. x = 128
99.283 129.2

Method #4 Method #5
30 60 90 45 45 90
approx. approx.
115.2294 148
 Conclusion
Do you think the method is reliable? Were your
results reasonable? How did you decide?
- Yes , my group thinks this method is reliable
because people have used it in the past and it has
been shown to have success and be reliable .
- My groups results were reasonable because our
measurements were exact . We decided our
resolutes were reasonable because we've used
these methods before and it has proved our results
were precise .

Do you think indirect measurement is useful?

- Indirect measurement is definitely useful but only
when it's impossible to measure object due to it
height .
Have you found any global connections for indirect
measurement?
- Before these methods existed astronomers back in
the days used indirect measurements to find out
the distance between the planets.