A vertical water tower 45 m tall stands on flat ground. At a time when the sun is \(60^\circ\) above the horizon, how long is the shadow of the tower on the ground?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → \(15\sqrt{3}\) m
The sun's ray from the top of the tower to the tip of the shadow meets the ground at the sun's angle of elevation, \(60^\circ\). The tower is the side opposite this angle and the shadow is the side next to it, so they are linked by the tangent.
\(\tan 60^\circ=\displaystyle\frac{45}{\text{shadow}}\)
Shadow \(=\displaystyle\frac{45}{\sqrt{3}}=\frac{45\sqrt{3}}{3}=15\sqrt{3}\) m
