A Ferris wheel has a diameter of 100 feet. When you start at the bottom of the Ferris wheel, you are 2 feet from the ground. The Ferris wheel completes one rotation in 4 minutes.

Question

A Ferris wheel has a diameter of 100 feet. When you start at the bottom of the Ferris wheel, you are 2 feet from the ground. The Ferris wheel completes one rotation in 4 minutes.

1. Create a graph that represents your height relative to the center of the Ferris wheel as a function of time, using the image below as a guide.

2. Create a function that represents your height relative to the center of the Ferris wheel as a function of time.

Answer 1

Looking at the Ferris wheel and given the information, you see the lowest height you can be at is 2', and the highest is 102' (above the ground).

HOWEVER, they want height relative to the center of the ferris wheel (which they are showing at height 0), so.... the lowest is -50' and the highest is +50' to the center of the ferris wheel. Now let's do ordered pairs bringing in the x (time factor).

X=0, Y=-50

X=1, Y=0

X=2, Y=50

X=3, Y=0

X=4, Y=-50

When you plot this on the graph given in the question, you will see this is a sin wave that is translated down 50'