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Printimc
geometry intermediate
Problem
Riders on a Ferris wheel travel in a circle in a vertical plane. A particular wheel has radius feet and revolves at the constant rate of one revolution per minute. How many seconds does it take a rider to travel from the bottom of the wheel to a point vertical feet above the bottom?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
Solution
We can let this circle represent the ferris wheel with center and represent the desired point feet above the bottom. Draw a diagram like the one above. We find out is a triangle. That means and the ferris wheel has made of a revolution. Therefore, the time it takes to travel that much of a distance is of a minute, or seconds. The answer is . Alternatively, we could also say that is congruent to by SAS, so is 20, and is equilateral, and
Final answer
D