First you need a labeled picture.
>o<
| .
| .
| .
18 ft | .
| 6 ft ^ .
| | .
-------------- *****
15 ft x
In this picture the " . . ." line represents the light as it goes down from the lamp to the tree. The **** line represents the shadow of the tree.
Inside this picture there are two right triangles: a big one and a small one. The big one has 18 ft as its up-and-down side and 15 + x as is right-to-left side. The little one has the tree (6 ft) as its up-and-down side and the tree's shadow (which has length 'x') as its right-to-left side.
As you can see the little triangle is INSIDE the big triangle. These two triangles are SIMILAR because although they are different sizes, their angles are the same. (For example, the street lamp meets the ground at 90 degrees, and the tree also meets the ground at 90 degrees).
Because the triangles are similar we know the ratios of their sides must be equal:
BIG triangle LITTLE triangle
up-and-down 18 6
------- = -------
right-to-left 15+x x
Cross multiply 18x = 6(15 + x)
18x = 90 + 6x
12x = 90
x = 90/12 = 7.5 ft
Therefore, the shadow must be 7.5 ft long.
In addition to the height of the object, the length of its shadow depends on a few other things that are not described in the question. -- Is the object standing straight upright ? -- Is the shadow cast on the ground or on sometheing else? -- If on the ground, is the ground level ? -- What is the altitude (angle) of the sun ?
3 feet
No. Only if the ground is level and the light source is very far away and at a 45 degree angle.
The shaddow would be 6.7 feet long (assuming flat ground)
Some very wise man noticed that the shadow cast from a stick placed vertically in the ground was a different angle at exactly noon than the angle of shadow cast at exactly noon from a vertically placed stick in the ground at a location further north. By employing mathematics, he was able to deduce that the earth is in fact, roundish.
Next time you go for a walk at night, walk under a streetlight, and watch your shadow on the ground. While you're watching your shadow, think about how the sun moves across the sky during the day.
The shadow of an object under a street light will point away from the light source, opposite to where the light is coming from. This is because the light source casts the object's shadow in the direction opposite to its position.
On the ground
A shadow is created the instant a shape is placed onto a ground, as the shape blocks the light from reaching the ground below it.
no
the sun
If you see a bird but do not see a shadow on the ground, it is probably because of the angle the light is coming from. If you drew an imaginary line form the source of light, (probably the sun) through the bird, you would find the shadow of the bird where the line touched the ground. If there is no light, the bird cannot make a shadow.
Stand in the sunshine, back to the sun. That flat person on the ground in front of you is your shadow.
Because your shadow is caused by your body coming between the ground and the Sun.
Stand with your back to the Sun, and look at your shadow on the ground. Your shadow is created because your body is blocking out the sunlight.
as there is no sunlight at 8pm,and shadow is formed when light can not pass through that object casting shadow and if u throw light on tree it will not cast shadow on the ground as it only can happen before sunset.....
The moon shadow follows you because when the moon is shining, it casts a shadow on the ground. This shadow moves as you move, creating the illusion that it is following you.