The Circus Act Problem
Problem Statement:
In this problem there are two performers for the following Circus Act: one performer is holding a diver that will be dropped from a Ferris Wheel that is moving counter clockwise, and will have to land into a cart of water that is moving towards the Ferris Wheel as shown in the picture to the left. Both performers start at the "3 o' clock" position of the Ferris Wheel. Given the measurements and the information in the picture, at what time should the diver be dropped so it lands exactly in the moving cart?
In this problem there are two performers for the following Circus Act: one performer is holding a diver that will be dropped from a Ferris Wheel that is moving counter clockwise, and will have to land into a cart of water that is moving towards the Ferris Wheel as shown in the picture to the left. Both performers start at the "3 o' clock" position of the Ferris Wheel. Given the measurements and the information in the picture, at what time should the diver be dropped so it lands exactly in the moving cart?
Process and Solution
Assumptions and variables:
Even though this is a well-structered problem, it is still very complex since there are various elements that might affect the final answer. Breaking down the problem and identifying all its components will make the process much easier. In order to do this, we created a a list of Assumptions and Variables that will help us obtain the most realistic answer for this problem. On the left, you can find the list that we created as a class. There are simple and obvious elements, but there are also some very specific and complex ones. When we finished the list, we determined which ones we wanted to focus on, and which ones would be left behind. |
Ferris Wheel Scale Model: We also created a scale model of the Ferris Wheel to fully understand the dimensions of it. You can see the images on the slide show on the right. You can see on out notes how we determined the scale dimensions by cross multiplying. RSA Video: Here is a link to an RSA Video that my partner Nayeli and I did in order to explain the whole problem. |
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Self Assessment and Problem Avaluation
Problem Evaluation:
The problem seemed incredibly simple at first, but once we started digging into it and identifying all the elements that had to be considered in order to find an accurate answer, the problem started to shape into an overwhelming challenge. The exciting part about this problem is that it could be solved by using different methods. Still, I believe almost the whole class used the same methods, so I think it would be better to encourage different groups to use different methods and then share them with the class, in order to understand the multiple ways to solve a problem, and all the different points of view that our classmates have. |
Self Assessment:
Even though I had trouble understanding some parts of the problem, I tried my best to comprehend what we were doing and to be in the same page as the rest of my classmates. I would give myself a 9/10 just because I know I could've done a little better. |