OUR LADY OF MERCY SCHOOL
Name: Renata C., Michelle T. José Luis C. & Patrícia P. Grade: 9th
Teacher: Ms. Freire & Ms. Oliveira Date: 06/11/02
Assignment: Brazilian Social Studies & Math Project

Botanical Garden

On June 13th, 1808 the Garden of Aclimação (later called the Royal Horto of Botanical Garden) was created under the influence of D. João VI in the backyard of a gunpowder factory. It is located in Rio de Janeiro, in the Botanical Garden neighborhood. The garden began with exotic plants and species being cultivated and, later on, species of plants from all over Brazil and the world.
The garden became open to the public in 1822, where it served and still serves today as a place for studies and research in several areas of botanics. Specialists study the vegetation of the country and their relation to the climate, observe the plants for studies, and keep research areas open to the public. The Botanical Garden is considered a tourist attraction and a cultural center.
MATH PROBLEM:
If you are 100m away from a tree, and you look at it in a 30o angle of elevation, you can only see two thirds of it. How many meters do you have to go back in order to see the whole tree with the same angle of elevation?

SOLUTION:
If 2/3 is what you can see from the tree with a 30o angle of elevation, then:
Tan 30o = X /100 ; Tan 30o x 100
But if X = 2/3 H
57.7 = 2/3 H
Therefore; the height is obtained by:
H = 3(57.7) = 86.25m
2
If you are Y meters distant from the tree:
Tan 30o = 86.25
Y
Y = 86.25
= 149.4m
Tan 30o
Y = 149.4m then; D = 49.4m