How High Should the Mirror Be Placed for Full Reflection?

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves determining the appropriate height for a mirror to allow a man to see his full reflection. The context includes the man's height and the position of his eyes relative to his head.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the necessary height of the mirror and question the completeness of the problem statement. There are attempts to clarify whether the goal is to see the entire body or just part of it, leading to considerations about mirror height and size.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring different interpretations of the problem. Some have provided insights into the minimum size of the mirror needed for a full reflection, while others are questioning the assumptions about the mirror's placement and height.

Contextual Notes

There is a noted ambiguity regarding the problem's requirements, particularly about what the man needs to see in the mirror and the height of the mirror itself. This has led to discussions about the implications of mirror placement and size.

Daniella_123x
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Homework Statement


A man stands 1.85m in front of a mirror hanging on a wall. His eyes are 10 cm below the top of his head. At what height from the floor, must the mirror be placed?

Homework Equations



Snells Law: n1*sin(omega)1=n2*sin(omega)2

The Attempt at a Solution



I converted everything to cm so 1.85= 185 cm
and 185-10 = 175 which is the height from his eyes downward
I just do not understand how to set it up where I could possible find the height of the mirror!
 
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Welcome to PF;
The problem statement is incomplete - how would the man know if the mirror was the right height or not?
"At what height from the floor, must the mirror be placed"... to do what?

i.e. Usually the idea is that the Man has to be able to see his entire body in the mirror - in which case we also need to know the height of the mirror. If it is a full-length mirror, then it can sit on the floor. Could you work out the minimum size of mirror that would let the man see his entire body at that distance?
 
Well Question a) was: What is the shortest mirror which without being moved, will permit the man to see his entire body? I solved this knowing that to see a full height of a person, he needs a mirror which has a length of half his height, which is 185/2 = 92.5 But I don't understand what does this have to do the question b)? That all they give me
 
Well - if the mirror was sitting on the floor - would he be able to see his whole body? Or just his feet?
What about if the bottom of the mirror were level with his eyes?
 

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