How High Are You After 21 Seconds on a Ferris Wheel?

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SUMMARY

The Ferris Wheel problem involves calculating the height above the ground after 21 seconds on a Ferris Wheel that takes 29 seconds for a full revolution and has a diameter of 40 feet. The top of the Ferris Wheel is 45 feet above the ground, meaning the bottom is 5 feet off the ground. The correct height after 21 seconds is approximately 11 feet, calculated using trigonometric functions, specifically the sine function, rather than tangent. Misunderstandings in the application of trigonometric ratios were highlighted in the discussion.

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[SOLVED] Ferris Wheel Problem! PLEASE HELP!

Homework Statement



The Ferris Wheel takes 29 seconds to make one revolution.
The diameter of this Ferris Wheel is forty feet.
The distance from the ground to the top of the Ferris Wheel is forty-five feet. (That means that the distance from the ground to the bottom of the Ferris Wheel is five feet).
From your starting position (A), it takes 11 seconds to reach the top(B).
What will your height above the ground be when you have ridden the Ferris Wheel for 21 seconds?
Round the answer to the nearest whole number with units!

I did this problem and got eleven feet. Can ANYONE tell me if that is right or not?!


LOOK AT THE DIAGRAM ON THIS WEBSITE: http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?p=728492#728492

I NEED THIS PROBLEM TODAY!
 
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http://www.dlt.ncssm.edu/DeConti/AdventuresInTrigWorkshop.htm#boat

this is what i am ultimately trying to solve. we are trying to find out who "gave you the prize" it is Trig. question.

These are the letters i got to unscramble but they are wrong, i know, because, in the website when it says to cross out the following letters i did but when it said 2-F's, i only had one F. so i need your help, here are the letters!:

R I C L E V E E G H A R T Y

some of these are probably wronge because i didn't have 2 f's to cross out but if you can unscramble these letters then i guess i am right.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
CAN SOMEONE HELP PLEASE! it would be so sweet of someone to help me! PLEASE PLEASE
 
Last edited:
physicsbhelp said:
CAN SOMEONE HELP PLEASE! it would be so sweet of someone to help me! PLEASE PLEASE

I am sorry if i sound desperate, but i kind of am haha.

like if anyone can help me w/ anything. please?
 
WHY hasn't anybody answered this! please! HELP ME!
 
No one answered because i) exclamation points, and large fonts just put people off. ii) URGENT! cries just usually tend to indicate somebody has been putting things off until the last minute and most importantly, you didn't show how you got your answer of 11 feet. The last is most important. I also got an answer of 11 feet, but not for the distance from the ground. I got that for the distance from the axis of the ferris wheel to the ground.
 
tan (34.5) = opposite/20
opposite side = 13.513
6.4869+5 = 11.48696 = 11 Feet
 
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That's a little confusing, but yes, angle from the top is 124 degrees. That's 34 degrees below the horizontal. Ok, but I wouldn't round 34.045 to 34.5. opposite/hypotenuse is sin, not tan. That's the big mistake. Try reworking it with that. Is this an exercise or a speed contest??
 
Okay thank you,
no it is just a problem our teacher gave us.

okay so now can you help me unscrable this:
R, I, C, O, U, R, T, E, E, G, H, A, R, T, Y
 
  • #10
physicsbhelp said:
Okay thank you,
no it is just a problem our teacher gave us.

okay so now can you help me unscrable this:
R, I, C, O, U, R, T, E, E, G, H, A, R, T, Y

Sorry, no can't guess. That's not really a math problem, now is it?
 

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