AP Calculus ABmediummcq1 pt

A man 6 feet tall walks away from a 15-foot streetlight at 5 ft/s. How fast is the tip of his shadow moving?

A.55 ft/s
B.103\dfrac{10}{3} ft/s
C.1515 ft/s
D.253\dfrac{25}{3} ft/s

Explanation

Core Concept

Similar triangles give x+s15=s6\dfrac{x+s}{15}=\dfrac{s}{6}, so s=23xs=\dfrac{2}{3}x and the tip is at x+s=53xx+s=\dfrac{5}{3}x. Differentiating gives ddt(x+s)=53(5)=253\dfrac{d}{dt}(x+s)=\dfrac{5}{3}(5)=\dfrac{25}{3} ft/s.

Correct Answer

D253\dfrac{25}{3} ft/s

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