# Constructing sine waves from a ferris wheel? A Ferris wheel 50 feet in diameter makes one revolution every 40 seconds. The center of the wheel is 30 feet above the ground. Find a sine function that...

Constructing sine waves from a ferris wheel?

A Ferris wheel 50 feet in diameter makes one revolution every 40 seconds. The center of the wheel is 30 feet above the ground. Find a sine function that describes the height of the Ferris wheel over time.

Rico Grant | Certified Educator

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The ferris wheel has a diameter of 50 feet, so a radius of 25 feet. If the center is 30 feet from the ground, the bottom of the wheel is 5 feet from the ground and the maximum height is 55 feet.

The midline is at 30 feet.

The period is `(1"rev")/(40"sec")` or `(3"rev")/(2"min")` which is `(2/3"rev")/"min"` .

Assuming that the ride starts at t=0, the car should be at the bottom of the ride or 5 feet above the...

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