Calculating Ferris Wheel Speed- I feel like I’m going in circles

STANDARDS

Content: Round numbers to given place values

Content: Solve problems involving decimal values

Content: Calculate rates

Content: Give evidence of work done to solve a problem

Process: Make conclusions from given data

TASK

A lover of amusement park rides, you know that Navy Pier in Chicago has a giant Ferris wheel. You also
know that riders hop off and on without it ever stopping. What you do not know is how fast the wheel is
moving in order for this to occur. You’ve looked various places but have not been successful in finding its
rate of speed. However, you did find some information on the Navy Pier website (time = 7 minutes and
diameter = 140 feet). Using these variables, calculate the speed of the Ferris wheel to the nearest tenth.

RUBRIC

Criteria 3 2 1
Evidence (work) is Work clearly indicates Some work is shown, Some work is shown,
shown of steps taken to progression of steps but a step is missing but more than one step
find circumference taken to solve problem leaving progression at is missing leaving
times difficult to follow progression unclear
Circumference All calculations 1 error in calculations More than 1 error in
calculations are correct performed correctly to calculations
arrive at right answer
Circumference is Circumference is Circumference is not Circumference is
rounded to the nearest rounded to the nearest rounded to the nearest rounded to the nearest
tenth and has correct tenth and has correct tenth or it does not have tenth and does not have
units units correct units correct units
Evidence (work) is Work clearly indicates Some work is shown, Some work is shown,
shown of steps taken to progression of steps but a step is missing but more than one step
find speed taken to solve problem leaving progression at is missing leaving
times difficult to follow progression unclear
Speed calculations are All calculations 1 error in calculations More than 1 error in
correct performed correctly to calculations
arrive at right answer
Speed is rounded to the Speed is rounded to the Speed is not rounded to Speed is rounded to the
nearest tenth and has nearest tenth and has the nearest tenth or it nearest tenth and does
correct units correct units does not have correct not have correct units
units
Rate is written correctly Rate is written correctly Rate is not written
as a statement as a statement correctly as a statement

Total _________/20
 Name __________________________________
Ferris Wheel Travel 6th Grade Math
A lover of amusement park rides, you know that Navy Pier in Chicago has a giant Ferris wheel.
You also know that riders hop off and on without it ever stopping. What you do not know is how
fast the wheel is moving in order for this to occur. You’ve looked various places but have not
been successful in finding its rate of speed. However, the following is posted on the Navy Pier
website:

http://www.navypier.com/things2do/rides_attract/pier_park.html

Well, you know that speed is distance divided by time. So you need values for both distance
and time. You can clearly see the time is given (this is the time it takes to go around once). All
you need is the distance. Distance around a circle… hmmm, what was that called? Not
diameter, but good thing that value is given as you consider the equation used to find distance
around a circle.

Please fill out the following work page as you accomplish this task.

Distance

Find the distance traveled by completing one revolution on the Ferris wheel. Write and solve
your equation in three lines as modeled in class. Show computation work to the right. Round
your answer to the nearest tenth. Remember units.

C =___________________________

C =___________________________

C = ___________________________

Time

The time it takes to complete one revolution on the Ferris wheel is _____________________________
(remember units)
Rate of Speed

Find the rate of speed by dividing your value for distance by that for time. Write your equation
in three lines as modeled in class (the first line is given). Show computation work to the right.
Round your answer to the nearest tenth. Remember units.

distance
speed=
time

speed=____________

speed=_____________

Interpret your Rate of Speed.

Look at your rate of speed. Write this rate in sentence form.

When sitting on the Ferris wheel, riders move ________________________ feet in one minute.