A Ferris wheel has a radius of 25 feet. The wheel is rotating at two revolutions per minute. Find the linear speed, in feet per minute, of a seat on this Ferris wheel.

Question

A Ferris wheel has a radius of 25 feet.  The wheel is rotating at two revolutions per minute. Find the linear speed, in feet per minute, of a seat on this Ferris wheel.

amistre64 · Answer

the linear speed is simply the distance traveled.  The distance traveled on the outside of a circle is its Circumference; and we know that it travels 2 times around each minute.

2C = 2 * 2pi(r) 
2C = 4pi(25)
2C = 100pi.

The exact answer includes pi: 100pi feet per minute.

If we can estimate pi: 100(3.14159) = 314.159 feet per minute.

anonymous · Answer

thank you