# Math Help - Barometer and Shadow problems

1. ## Barometer and Shadow problems

I can look out my window and see the top of a television transmitter tower. On the map, I see that it is 2 miles away. I read somewhere that the tower is 500 feet tall. As I look at the tower, I see that the very top leaves of a tree sometimes get in the way of the top of the tower. The tree is 50 yards from where I sit. How tall is the tree?

2*500/50

???

2. Originally Posted by GeoBlockage
I can look out my window and see the top of a television transmitter tower. On the map, I see that it is 2 miles away. I read somewhere that the tower is 500 feet tall. As I look at the tower, I see that the very top leaves of a tree sometimes get in the way of the top of the tower. The tree is 50 yards from where I sit. How tall is the tree?

2*500/50

???
similar right triangles ... set up a proportion

$\frac{tower \, height}{distance \, to \, tower} = \frac{tree \, height}{distance \, to \, tree}$

remember that all heights/distances have to be in the same units.