As a youngster, you drive a nail in the trunk of a young tree that is 3 meters tall. The nail is about 1.5 meters from the ground. Fifteen years later, you return and discover that the tree has grown to a height of 30 meters. About how many meters above the ground is the nail?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since the nail was driven 1.5 meters from the ground on a 3-meter tall tree, it means the nail was driven halfway up the tree. After 15 years, the tree grew to 30 meters tall. Therefore, the top of the tree is at 30 meters, and halfway up the tree (where the nail was driven) is at 15 meters. Hence, the nail is approximately 1.5 meters above the ground (15 meters - 13.5 meters), which is the answer in choice B.

As a Youngster, You Drive a Nail in the Trunk