There is a way to estimate the height of a tree without having to climb it with a tape measure. Instead, place a mirror on the ground and stand where you can see the reflection of the top of the tree in the mirror.
1: Use this example to demonstrate:
Points M and G are labeled and represent the Mirror and the point where the tree touches the ground.
a: Label points: T at the top of the tree, E at the person’s eye level, and F at the person’s feet
b: Explain how you can create two similar triangles using the AA similarity postulate. You can sketch the triangles
separately if you would like (hint: if the person and tree stand up straight, they form 90-degree angles at the
ground):
c: If EF = 60 inches, FM = 80 inches, and MG = 200 inches, how tall is the tree? Show all work: