Question

A ferris wheel is 30 meters in diameter and boarded in the six o'clock position from a platform that is 10 meters above the ground. The wheel completes one full revolution every 10 minutes. At the initial time t=0 you are in the twelve o'clock position.Find a formula, using the cosine function, for your height above ground after t minutes on the ferris wheel.

Answer 1

at the top when t=0, so no phase shift
h = Acos(at)+k
center of wheel is at 10+30/2 = 25, so
h = Acos(at)+25
wheel radius is 15, so
h = 15cos(at)+25
period = 10, so use 2π/10

h = 15cos(πt/5)+25

Answer 2

Find two numbers the exact answer is between 6x7,381