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Geometry and Trigonometry Difficulty: Easy

At a certain time and day, the Washington Monument in Washington, DC, casts a shadow that is 300 feet long. At the same time, a nearby cherry tree casts a shadow that is 16 feet long. Given that the Washington Monument is approximately 555 feet tall, which of the following is closest to the height, in feet, of the cherry tree?

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Explanation

Choice C is correct. There is a proportional relationship between the height of an object and the length of its shadow. Let c represent the height, in feet, of the cherry tree. The given relationship can be expressed by the proportion 555 over 300, equals, c over 16. Multiplying both sides of this equation by 16 yields c equals 29 point 6. This height is closest to the value given in choice C, 30.

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect and may result from calculation errors.