Question

A Ferris wheel has a diameter of 42 feet. It rotates 3 times per minute. Approximately how far will a passenger travel during a 5-minute ride?

132 feet
659 feet
1,978 feet
3,956 feet

Answer 1

To calculate the distance a passenger travels during a 5-minute ride on a Ferris wheel, we can follow these steps:

1. **Calculate the circumference of the Ferris wheel**:
The circumference \( C \) of a circle is given by the formula:
\[
C = \pi \times d
\]
where \( d \) is the diameter. The diameter of the Ferris wheel is 42 feet, so:
\[
C = \pi \times 42 \approx 3.14 \times 42 \approx 131.88 \text{ feet}
\]

2. **Determine how many times the Ferris wheel rotates in 5 minutes**:
The Ferris wheel rotates 3 times per minute. Therefore, in 5 minutes, it will rotate:
\[
3 \text{ rotations/minute} \times 5 \text{ minutes} = 15 \text{ rotations}
\]

3. **Calculate the total distance travelled**:
To find the total distance \( D \) travelled in 5 minutes, we multiply the circumference by the number of rotations:
\[
D = C \times \text{number of rotations} = 131.88 \text{ feet} \times 15 \approx 1978.2 \text{ feet}
\]

Thus, the approximate distance a passenger will travel during a 5-minute ride on the Ferris wheel is **1,978 feet**.

Therefore, the correct answer is **1,978 feet**.