Mathematics Analysis and Approaches

Standard Level Exploration

Designing My Own Ferris Wheel

Using trigonometric functions to design and model an inclusive Ferris Wheel in Cyprus

hdm165

May 2021
 Table of Contents

Introduction and Rationale 2

Aim 3

Mathematical Plan: 3

Structural and Environmental Considerations 4

Rider Safety and Entertainment 4

Modeling the Ferris Wheel: 4

Trigonometric Functions 6

The Cosine Function 6

The Sine Function 8

Trigonometric Equations 11

Calculating Speed Using Kinematics 13

Accommodations for Persons with Disability 16

Conclusion and Evaluation 18

Works Cited 20

1
 Introduction and Rationale

As an individual with a natural sense of curiosity, I’ve always been interested in how

the world around me works. I look past the facades of everyday objects and inquire about how

they’re made. At a very young age, my interest in civil engineering grew when I watched TV

shows like Unchained Reaction and Myth Busters. Seeing the effort and thought that goes into

to the design of different infrastructure piqued my interest. I’m also an avid traveler. I’ve been

all across the world from the Philippines and Canada to South Africa and the Netherlands, but

my second home is Cyprus. My family and I visit Cyprus every year and I’ve come to realize

that there aren’t many inclusive activities for persons with disability. Having a younger brother

with Cerebral Palsy, the idea of inclusion is very important to me.

We live in Protoras – a small sea-side city on the East coast of Cyprus with only few

forms of entertainment like karaoke bars and mini golf. The only way to see the city is by riding

parasails, which isn’t something my younger brother can do. So, I wanted to increase

accessibility for persons with disability and realized that a great solution would be a Ferris

Wheel. The Ferris Wheel can be made to accommodate those with disabilities. This way,

people who are unable to ride parasails can still have the opportunity to see the city and

Mediterranean Sea. Given my interest in structural design and having ridden a few Ferris

Wheels myself, I was attracted to the opportunity to design one of my own.

So, what is a Ferris Wheel? Essentially, it’s an amusement park ride made of a large

wheel consisting of various passenger cars. These cars are spaced evenly around the

circumference of the wheel. The wheel rotates on a horizontal axis and passengers enter and

exit at the bottom of the ride. It is important that the Ferris Wheel is designed in a way that will

allow it to operate safely (Cavette).

2
 To achieve this, I will need to use trigonometry and differentiation. Luckily,

trigonometry is one of my favorite areas of math. I’m a realist and appreciate that I can see the

real life uses of trigonometry – such as the Ferris Wheel. Subjects like Algebra often frustrate

me because I can’t see the practical applications of it. I will also need to use kinematics to find

the speed of every revolution of the Ferris Wheel. Although I sometimes struggle with

kinematics, this investigation will be a great opportunity to improve my skills. It will also give

me an opportunity to explore Applied Mathematics as I take Mathematics Analysis and

Approaches which deals with pure mathematics. Additionally, I will be making some

alterations to the Ferris Wheel entrance to make it more accessible.

Aim

For this investigation, I aim to design a Ferris Wheel with the use of trigonometric

functions to be located in Protoras, Cyprus. In addition, I will assess the efficacy and

accessibility of the Ferris Wheel.

Mathematical Plan

By using trigonometric functions, I will model the height (h) of each passenger car

during different times (t) throughout the Ferris Wheel ride. More specifically, I will be using

the cosine and sine curves. By finding the height, I can determine whether passengers will be

able to see the Mediterranean Sea and Protoras. However, I must also ensure that the speed of

the Ferris Wheel is safe for the passengers. I will do this by finding the derivative of the

trigonometric functions found in the first part. Finally, I will also plan some accommodations

for persons with disabilities such as adding a ramp to the entrance of the Ferris Wheel.

3
Structural and Environmental Considerations

The first step I took was to investigate what different Ferris Wheels there in the area to

take inspiration. This, of course, is a very important step as it’ll give me an idea of what

diameter to use in my own design. The closest Ferris Wheel to Protoras is at Luna Park in Ayia

Napa. I was only able to find the height online, and so I decided to find the other measurements

using a series of rough estimations. Given that the height of the entire Ferris Wheel was 45

meters (Giant Wheel), I could loosely calculate other measurements in Figure 1.

To start, I made sure that the image Maximum

Height - - --------------------
and ruler were both scaled accurately to 5

cm. Next, I zeroed the ruler at the base of the

Ferris Wheel to make sure that the

measurement started there. Then, I found Minimum

Height - - --------------------
Base - ---------------------
the height of the Ferris Wheel in the image
Figure 1: Ferris Wheel at Luna Park
which was 4.5 cm. This meant that my scale was 1 cm to 10 m. I could now continue to find

the minimum height so that I could find the diameter – by subtracting the minimum height from

the maximum. The minimum height was 0.5 cm away from the base (5 meters in real life). So,

4.5 – 0.4 = 4 cm which meant that the diameter of the Ferris Wheel in real life was 40 meters.

Considering that Ayia Napa is a larger and more popular city, the Ferris Wheel was

quite big. I decided to use a slightly shorter diameter of 30 meters for the Ferris Wheel in

Protoras as it is a smaller city. The minimum height would be 2 meters. This meant that the

Ferris Wheel would not be too tall as to respect other buildings in the area. If the maximum

height was too high, then it could ruin the aesthetic of the city, but at the same time it needs to

be high enough so that they can see the sea. Using 32 meters as my total height is a good middle

ground and allowed me to be mindful of the environment around the Ferris Wheel.

4
Rider Safety and Entertainment

One other thing I must be mindful of is the speed. If the speed was too fast, then the

ride could be dangerous and if it was too slow, then the passengers would be bored. I found

that a good speed would be around 1 kilometer per hour or 20 meters per minute. This is further

explained later on in this exploration (Calculating Speed Using Kinematics).

Another important consideration is total duration of the ride. To find a suitable duration

I did some research into the London Eye and found that one revolution takes around 30 minutes

(The London Eye), but there are also other Ferris Wheels like the Pacific Wheel that takes 30

seconds to make one revolution (Pacific Wheel). So, it all depends on the intent behind the

Ferris Wheel. It can be a slow one to allow passengers to enjoy their surroundings, or it can be

fast, so passengers don’t get bored. After watching a 360o perspective of the Pacific Wheel

(Enjoy a Virtual Ride), I realized that I want my Ferris Wheel to be on the faster end. For that,

I decided that a suitable time would be 5 minutes per revolution. To prevent further boredom,

I’ve suggested to provide entertainment for the riders such as small videos on Cypriote history,

things to do in Protoras, and other fun facts. These will be presented on a small screen in each

passenger car.

Modeling the Ferris Wheel

These are the specifications of my Ferris Wheel:

Feature Value
Minimum Height 2 meters
Maximum Height 32 meters
Diameter 30 meters
Period 5 minutes

By combining these values and my knowledge of trigonometric functions, I was able to create

a cosine and sine function that model the Ferris Wheel.

5
Trigonometric Functions

Trigonometric functions help demonstrate the relationship

between the sides and angles of right-angled triangles. Although

there are many types of trigonometric functions, the ones I used

in this investigation are the cosine and sine functions. One way to

define these functions is by using a mathematical tool called the

unit circle (Svirin). Essentially, this circle has a radius of 1 and it Figure 2: The Unit Circle

can be used to determine the sine and cosine of any angle. By extending a line from the origin

to the circle, the angle formed between the x-axis and your coordinate is . As seen in Figure 2

to the left, the y value of your position will be equivalent to sin , and your x value will equal

cos  (Trig Unit Circle).

The Cosine Function

I will begin to model my Ferris Wheel with the use of the cosine function. When the cosine of

an angle is plotted against the value of that angle, it results in the cosine function (Graph of the

Cosine). The general function is as follows ℎ (𝑡) = 𝐴 cos(𝐵𝑡) + 𝐷 where h is the height in

meters, t is the time in minutes, A is the amplitude, B is the number of cycles in one period,

and D is the vertical shift.

Finding the Amplitude (A): The amplitude is the distance of the vertices (both maximum and

minimum) from the horizontal bisector or midline of the function. It can be by found by using

the following equation.

𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑦 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 −𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑦 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒

|𝐴| =
2

32−2
|𝐴| = = 15
2

𝐴 = 15 𝑜𝑟 𝑨 = −𝟏𝟓

6
However, we take only the negative value as the height increases to reach the maximum height,

then it decreases to reach the minimum value every revolution. So, A = -15.

Finding the Number of Cycles (B): The number of cycles shows how many times the graph is

repeated within an interval of 0 to 2 or 360o if we were using degrees rather than radians. The

way we can calculate this value is by using the following equation.

2𝜋
𝐵= 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑑

2𝜋
Given that the chosen period is 5 minutes, 𝐵 =
5

Finding the Vertical Shift (D): The vertical shift is the distance the function has travelled either

upwards or downwards and it can be found using the following equation.

𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑦 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒+𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑦 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒

𝐷= 2

32+2
𝐷= = 17
2

𝐷 = 17

2𝜋
This leaves us with the final cosine equation of ℎ (𝑡) = −15 cos ( 5 𝑡) + 17

Using the software Desmos, I was able to graph the cosine equation of my Ferris Wheel.

2𝜋
ℎ (𝑡) = −15 cos ( 𝑡) + 17
5

7
The graph enables me to determine the height of the passenger

cars at any given time during the ride. For example, at 1 minute

the height of the passenger cars is roughly 13 meters, and at 2.5

minutes (half way through the ride) the cars are at 32 meters (the

maximum height), and 5 minutes (the end of the ride) the cars are

2 meters above the ground (the minimum height).

The graph also helps prove the accuracy and validity of my

y=20 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
calculations. This is because if we use the principles of the

unit circle, any height – other than the peak – will be reached
y=8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

twice during one period. This is shown in the graph to the

left at y=8 and y=20.

The Sine Function

I will also use the sine function to model the dimensions of my Ferris Wheel. Similar to the

cosine function, the sine of an angle is plotted against the value of the angle, it creates the sine

function (Graph of the Sine). The general function is as follows ℎ (𝑡) = 𝐴 sin(𝐵(𝑡 + 𝐶)) + 𝐷

where h is the height in meters, t is the time in minutes, A is the amplitude, B is the number of

cycles in one period, D is the vertical shift, and C is the horizontal shift.

Finding the Amplitude (A): This time, we take only the positive value as the function is not

reflected in the x-axis.

𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑦 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 −𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑦 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒

|𝐴| =
2

32−2
|𝐴| = = 15
2

𝑨 = 𝟏𝟓 𝑜𝑟 𝐴 = −15

8
Finding the Number of Cycles (B): Stays the same as the cosine function.
2𝜋
𝐵= 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑑

2𝜋
Given that the chosen period is 5 minutes, 𝐵 = 5

Finding the Vertical Shift (D): Stays the same as the cosine function.

𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑦 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒+𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑦 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒

𝐷= 2

32+2
𝐷= 2
= 17

𝐷 = 17

Find the Horizontal Shift (C): The horizontal or phase shift represents a horizontal translation

– the distance in which a function has travelled leftwards or rightwards. One method to find its

value is by substitution.

So far, this is our equation for the sine function of my Ferris Wheel

2𝜋
ℎ (𝑡) = 15 sin ( 5 (𝑡 + 𝐶)) + 17

And we can use the coordinates of a point on the curve (2.5, 32) as our substitutes.

2𝜋
32 = 15 sin (( 5 (2.5 + 𝐶)) + 17

2𝜋
15 = 15 sin ( 5 (2.5 + 𝐶))

2𝜋
1 = sin ( 5 (2.5 + 𝐶))

2𝜋 𝜋
sin−1(1) = (2.5 + 𝐶), and sin−1(1) = 2
5

2𝜋 𝜋
(2.5 + 𝐶) =
5 2

5
(2.5 + 𝐶) =
4

𝑪 = −𝟏. 𝟐𝟓

9
 2𝜋
This leaves us with the final sine equation of ℎ (𝑡) = 15 sin ( 5 (𝑡 − 1.25)) + 17

And when I use Desmos to plot both the cosine and sine functions, it can be seen that both

curves are the same.

By simply making the cosine function negative, it is reflected across the midline at h = 15. The

midline is parallel to the x axis and is the line about which the function oscillates. It is halfway

between the maximum and minimum points of the function. What’s interesting is that with a

few transformations, any cosine curve be written as a sine curve and vice versa. The fact that

both graphs match up proves that my calculations are accurate.

10
Trigonometric Equations

By using either equation found above, the height of the passenger car at any given time can be

found. For example, if I wanted to find the time where the Ferris Wheel is above the height of

24.5 meters, I would equate the cosine equation with 24.5 and solve as follows:

2𝜋
ℎ (𝑡) = −15 cos ( 𝑡) + 17
5

2𝜋
−15 cos ( 𝑡) + 17 = 24.5
5

2𝜋
−15 cos ( 𝑡) = 7.5
5

2𝜋
cos ( 𝑡) = −0.5
5

After reaching this point, it’s important to remember the ASTC

S A
quadrants. We should note that an angle in a trigonometric 𝜋- 
only sin is positive all are is positive

equation can be in 4 different quadrants. Each of these 4

quadrants can impact the identity of the angle depending on T C

𝜋+ 2𝜋 - 
which quadrant the angle is located in. only tan is positive only cos is positive

2𝜋
cos ( 𝑡) = −0.5
5
𝜋
Seeing this equation reminds me that cos 3 = 0.5 which is now my reference angle () for the

ASTC quadrants. The diagram above shows that I will need to use the 2nd and 3rd Quadrants as

cosine is negative in these two.

𝜋
Reference angle  = 3

In the 2nd Quadrant, where x = 𝜋 -  In the 3rd Quadrant, where x = 𝜋 + 

𝜋 2𝜋 𝜋 4𝜋
𝜋−3 = 𝜋+3 =
3 3

11
Finally, using my knowledge in algebra, I can now solve for (t).
2𝜋 4𝜋 2𝜋 2𝜋
𝑡= and 𝑡=
5 3 5 3

2𝜋 4𝜋 2𝜋 2𝜋
𝑡= 𝑡=
5 3 5 3

6π𝑡 = 20𝜋 6π𝑡 = 10𝜋

6𝑡 = 20 6𝑡 = 10

20 10
𝑡= 𝑡=
6 6

10 5
𝑡= 𝑡=
3 3

10 5
As such, when ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 3 the passenger car is at least 24.5 meters high.
3

To confirm my findings, I graphed the cosine equation as well as the desired height (24.5m)

and found their intersections.

5 10
( 3, 24.5 ) ( , 24.5 )
3

𝒉 (𝒕) = 𝟐𝟒. 𝟓

𝟐𝝅
𝒉 (𝒕) = −𝟏𝟓 𝐜𝐨𝐬 ( 𝒕) + 𝟏𝟕
𝟓

As shown above, h(t) = 24.5 intersects with the cosine equation at two points. These two

points are equal to the values of t that we found by using the ASTC method, and so the
10 5
passenger car will be above 24.5 meters when ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 3 as displayed in the shaded region of
3

the graph above.

12
 Calculating Speed Using Kinematics

As mentioned earlier in the Rider Safety and Entertainment section, the speed of the

Ferris Wheel is one of the many important factors to consider. To find the speed, I can use my

knowledge of calculus and kinematics that I’ve acquired as part of the Mathematics Analysis

and Approaches curriculum. Speed is a scalar quantity that is measured by dividing the distance

over the time. To find the speed of my Ferris Wheel, I must find the absolute value of the

velocity. The velocity is a vector quantity which measures how fast an object changes its

position (Speed and Velocity) and can be found by differentiating the displacement of an object

(Elert) – in this exploration that is h(t).

As found in the formula booklet, I used these two formulas (Mathematics)

The Derivative of cos x: 𝑓′ (𝑥) = cos(𝑥) ⇒ 𝑓′ (𝑥) = − sin(𝑥)

𝑑 𝑑 𝑑
The Chain Rule: y = g(u), where u = f(x) ⇒ 𝑑𝑦 = 𝑑𝑦 × 𝑑𝑢
𝑥 𝑢 𝑥

The Composite Function Rule: 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑔(𝑥)) ⇒ 𝑦′ = 𝑓′(𝑔)× 𝑔′(𝑥)

ℎ′ (𝑡) = 𝑣(𝑡)
2𝜋
ℎ (𝑡) = −15 cos ( 5 𝑡) + 17
2𝜋 2𝜋
ℎ′ (𝑡) = −15 × −sin ( 5 𝑡) × +0
5
2𝜋 2𝜋
ℎ′ (𝑡) = 6𝜋 sin ( 𝑡) which means that 𝑣(𝑡) = 6𝜋 sin ( 𝑡)
5 5
Velocity (meters/ minute)

2𝜋
𝑣(𝑡) = 6𝜋 sin ( 𝑡)
5

13
 After graphing the velocity function on Desmos, it was interesting to see that the

velocity was changing despite the speed of the ride being constant. The reason behind this was

due to the fact that speed is a scalar quantity and velocity is a vector quantity – it has magnitude

and direction. While speed is the distance divided by the time, the velocity is equal to

displacement divided by time. With some minor knowledge of physics, I also noticed that the

force on the wheel changes at different points during the ride as the wheel is moving a circular

motion. This is why some riders will get the sensation of floating as they ride the Ferris Wheel.

In reality, what they’re feeling are the changes in velocity throughout the ride. Despite the

constant speed of the revolution, it is normal to find an oscillating velocity.

The following graph shows the Cosine function in blue and velocity function in green.

𝟐𝝅
𝒉 (𝒕) = −𝟏𝟓 𝐜𝐨𝐬 ( 𝒕) + 𝟏𝟕
𝟓
𝟐𝝅
𝒗(𝒕) = 𝟔𝝅 𝐬𝐢𝐧 ( 𝒕)
𝟓

It should be noted that when the velocity is equal to zero [ v(t) = 0 ], the Ferris Wheel is

temporarily stationary which signifies a minimum or maximum height being reached. At 2.5

minutes, the velocity is 0 and the height is 32 meters. Similarly, at 5 minutes, the velocity is 0

while the height is 2 meters. This shows that when v(t) = 0, h(t) will have a maximum or

minimum value.

14
Using the graph, we can find the speed of the Ferris Wheel by finding the amplitude.

𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑦 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 −𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑦 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒

|𝐴| =
2

6𝜋 −(−6𝜋) 6𝜋+6𝜋 12𝜋

|𝐴| = = = = 6𝜋 or 18.84955592 meters/ minute
2 2 2

Another method to find the speed of the Ferris Wheel is by dividing the distance travelled by

the time taken. In the case of a circular shape such as the Ferris Wheel, the distance is the

circumference and the time is the period. So, the following equation can also be used to find

the speed.

𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 (𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠) 𝑐𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑚𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 (𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠)

𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 = or 𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 =
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 (𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑠) 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑑

Given Information
- Circumference = d - Time = 5 minutes
- Diameter (d) = 30 meters - Period = 5

30𝜋
𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 = = 6𝜋 or 18.84955592 meters/ minute
5

Either method works to find the speed.

The average speed of the Ferris Wheel is equal to roughly 18.8 meters per minute. This is an

ideal speed for the Ferris Wheel as it is within the range proposed in the Rider Safety and

Entertainment section of this exploration.

15
 Accommodations for Persons with Disability

To make sure that the Ferris Wheel can accommodate for people with physical

disability, I’ve proposed some alterations to the passenger car. Firstly, the passenger cars will

have wide enough doors to allow wheelchairs through – an acceptable door width is roughly

85 centimeters which will allow ample space (How wide). Secondly, it is important to provide

adequate securing systems to make sure the wheelchair does not move during the Ferris Wheel

ride. One way to ensure this is by including a 4-point strap mechanism so that the wheelchairs

can be tied to the floor of the passenger car (Best Practices).

However, one of the most important features to allow accessibility on the Ferris Wheel

is a ramp. Thankfully, with the skills I’ve learnt in trigonometry, I can devise ideal

measurements for a ramp leading to the entrance of the passenger car. According to the Brain

Line initiative, wheel chairs should have at least 30 centimeters of length to 3 centimeters of

rise – which would result in an approximate 5.74o of steepness (Wheel Chair). Given that the

minimum height of the Ferris Wheel is 2 meters, that means that the rise of the ramp will be 2

meters. So, the required length would be 20 meters. Creating a ramp that is 2 meters high and

20 meters in length isn’t very plausible as it’ll take up too much space. Instead, I decided to

create a multi-layer ramp as follows:

Figure 3: Wheelchair Ramp

The ramp will be similar to the ramp in Figure 3, with every layer rising by 1 meter. The two

layers will reach a minimum height of 2 meters. This will allow safe access to the Ferris Wheel.

16
 Figure 4: Ramp Dimensions

Each layer will have the dimensions as shown here in Figure 4. I was able to find the height

and hypotenuse by using the ratio provided by research which was 30cm to 3cm. Then by using

the Pythagoras Theorem, I found the length of the base. Finally, to ensure that the angle of the

ramp was not to steep or too flat, I used the sine trigonometric ratio. This resulted in an angle

of 5.74o as established during research. I also made the width of the ramp to be 1.6 meters

which is almost double the width of an average wheelchair. This will allow the wheelchair to

go up the ramp comfortably.

All calculations can be seen in Figure 5 which shows a side view of the ramp.

∠𝑎𝑏𝑐

∠𝑎𝑏𝑐

∠𝑎𝑏𝑐

∠𝑎𝑏𝑐

Figure 5: Side View of Ramp

17
 Conclusion and Evaluation

During this investigation, I was given the unique opportunity to design my own Ferris

Wheel. Throughout the process, I had to apply various mathematical concepts that I learnt

during my Mathematics Analysis and Approaches lessons. With the use of trigonometric

functions, I was able to model the revolution of my Ferris Wheel. It allowed me to find

important details like the period, amplitude and phase shift. As a person who appreciates visual

learning, the graph was a great demonstration of how the Ferris Wheel was moving with time.

One other area of math I applied was calculus. By using a combination of my differentiation

and kinematics knowledge, I was able to find the velocity and speed of the Ferris Wheel. This

gave insightful information on how fast the Ferris Wheel would be going and also allowed me

to explore velocity further. Without this investigation, I would have never researched the idea

of circular movement and force. I also used trigonometry when I made the alterations for

persons with disability. I utilized the trigonometric ratio of sine when finding the angle of

incline for the ramp. This helped me assure that the ramp was not to steep or too flat. I also

used the Pythagorean Theorem to calculate the missing length in the ramp. Trigonometry

helped me find the dimensions of the ramp design.

One other useful tool throughout this exploration was Desmos – the online graphing

software. Without Desmos, I wouldn’t have been able to graph the functions that I established

while designing my Ferris Wheel. These graphs were very useful to me and they were easy to

make. Desmos provided me the opportunity to visualize the design and dimensions I had

calculated. It took my Ferris Wheel from numbers and concepts to actuality.

However, there are some details this investigation fails to address. There is a lot of

effort that goes into the creation of a Ferris Wheel and many more safety measures that must

be taken into consideration. There is also the issue of finding empty land near enough to the

sea with no buildings in the way, so that the riders can see the view. Furthermore, this

18
exploration delves into the mathematical interactions of a Ferris Wheel but there must be

further investigation into the physics and mechanical engineering behind the ride. I attempted

to investigate some of this when finding the velocity of the Ferris Wheel and discussing the

impact of centripetal acceleration.

Given the structural and environmental considerations mentioned in this investigation,

I believe that this Ferris Wheel would be a good touristic attraction to implement in Protoras,

Cyprus. It’ll help attract more people to the city and increase revenue from tourists. People will

get to see the Mediterranean Sea from a unique perspective and learn about the city through

the small screens in the passenger cars. Most importantly, the ride is able to accommodate for

persons with disability. It is wheelchair accessible due to the presence of the ramp, the wide

doors, and the securing system inside the passenger cars. It is very satisfying for me to be able

to use my knowledge in math to accomplish something that can help people with disabilities

like my younger brother.

19
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