One-fifth of a totem pole is tapered at the top. One-sixth of the pole is buried in the ground. The remaining 3.8 meters are ornately carved. How high is the top of the totem pole above the ground?
Solution
Let x represent the total length of the pole. Then x/5 + x/6 + 3.8 = x. So 11x/30 + 3.8 = x. Multiplying through by 30, we get 11x + 114 = 30x, so x = 6 meters.
Since 1/6 of the pole is buried underground, the top of the pole is 5 meters above the ground.