Name: ________________________

/ 77 marks = %
Subject: VCE Mathematical Methods – Unit 2
Topic: Circular functions
Assessment Task: Application Task
Details: Part 1 – Group Task:
 55 minutes writing time
 45 marks available
 Consultation allowed
 Technology Active (Open Book)
Part 2 – Individual Task:
 55 minutes writing time
 32 marks available
 Technology Active (Open Book)
Instructions: i. Answer all questions in the space provided
ii. In all questions where a numerical answer is required, an exact value must be
given unless otherwise specified.
iii. In questions where more than one mark is available, appropriate working must
be shown.
iv. Unless otherwise indicated, the diagram in this book are not drawn to scale.

Part 1 – Group Task:

Figure 1 - The Melbourne Star

The Melbourne Star (Figure 1) is a large Ferris Wheel located in Docklands, Victoria. The giant wheel rotates
anticlockwise at a constant rate and never stops during the day. In total there are 21 carriages spaced evenly around
the giant wheel, each offering a 360° view of the skyline of Melbourne.

VCE Mathematical Methods – Unit 2 (2016) Page 1 of 6 Circular Functions – Application Task (BPO)
Question 1 (20 marks):
The height of a specific carriage, located at a point 𝑃, on the Melbourne Star Ferris Wheel can be modelled by the
trigonometric equation:

𝑡 + 112.5
ℎ𝑀 (𝑡) = 65 + 55 sin (𝜋 ( ))
15

where ℎ is the height, in metres above ground, and 𝑡 is the time, in minutes, after 𝟏𝟏: 𝟎𝟎 am on any given day.

(a) State the maximum height, in metres, that the point 𝑃 reaches above the ground.

__________________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(b) State the minimum height, in metres, that the point 𝑃 reaches above the ground.

__________________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(c) State the radius of the Ferris Wheel; that is, the distance between the centre of the circle to the point 𝑃.

__________________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(d) State the duration, in minutes, of one full revolution on the Melbourne Star.

__________________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(e) How many times is the carriage at the point 𝑃 expected to reach the maximum height between 11: 00 am
and 9: 00 pm?

__________________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(f) State the height above ground, in metres, of the point 𝑃 at 11: 00 am.

__________________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(g) State the time the that the point 𝑃 will next will be at the same height above ground at it was at 11: 00 am.

__________________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(h) If a group of passengers board the carriage at point 𝑃 at 2: 00 pm, find their height above the ground, in
metres, at 2: 10 pm.

__________________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(i) For the same group of passengers boarding at 2: 00 pm, find the next three times their carriage will again be
at the same height above the ground as it was at 2: 10 pm.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________ (2 marks)

VCE Mathematical Methods – Unit 2 Page 2 of 6 Circular Functions – Application Task (BPO)
 (j) Sketch the graph of ℎ𝑀 (𝑡) for one full rotation, starting at 𝑡 = 0, clearly labelling any axial intercept(s),
maximum(s), minimum(s) and endpoint(s) with their coordinates.

__________________________________________________________________________ (3 marks)

The manager of the Melbourne Star attraction wants to update their brochure to include features of the ride.

(k) State the amount of time, in minutes correct to 2 decimal places, from the start of the ride that it takes for a
carriage, at the point 𝑃, to reach half of the maximum height from the ground.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________ (2 marks)

(l) It is known that the Dandenong Ranges can be viewed for exactly 20% of the ride on the Melbourne Star.
Determine the minimum height that the Dandenong Ranges can be viewed from on the Melbourne Star.
State your answer in exact form.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________ (3 marks)

(m) The manager is also hoping to attract more mathematically oriented customers to the Melbourne Star. To do
this she decides to run a competition on the brochure. To win the 6 free tickets, the entrant must correctly
state one possible cosine equation that exactly describes the height, ℎ in metres, of the point 𝑃 after 𝑡 minutes
starting at 11: 00 am as the equation ℎ𝑀 (𝑡) does. State one possible cosine equation that you could enter
into the competition.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________ (2 marks)

VCE Mathematical Methods – Unit 2 Page 3 of 6 Circular Functions – Application Task (BPO)
Question 2 (25 marks):
The city of Ballarat has decided to construct their own Ballarat Star as an additional tourist attraction for their town.
Instead of the Ferris Wheel being used as a viewing platform, the architects have designed the Ballarat Star to be a
thrill seeking attraction. As such, the wheel will rotate much faster and the carriages will also rotate like mini Ferris
Wheels to enhance the experience. A concept drawing of the Ballarat Star is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 - The Ballarat Star

The arrows in Figure 2 show the direction of rotation of both the larger wheel, with centre 𝐶, and the smaller wheel,
with centre 𝐹 which is fixed to the circumference of the larger wheel. Once again we will consider the height, ℎ metres
above the ground, of the point 𝑃 after 𝑡 seconds on the ride:

𝜋 5 3𝜋 5
ℎ𝐵 (𝑡) = 15 − 10 sin ( (𝑡 + )) − 3 sin ( (𝑡 + ))
5 2 5 2

For the equation ℎ𝐵 (𝑡) the two sine equations represent the larger and smaller Ferris Wheels respectively.

(a) Using one of the sine equations in ℎ𝐵 (𝑡):

i. Explain why the radius of the larger wheel must be 10 metres.

_____________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

ii. Hence, or otherwise, state amount of time, in seconds, that it takes for the larger wheel to complete
one full revolution.

_____________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(b) Using the other sine equation in ℎ𝐵 (𝑡):

i. Explain why the radius of the smaller wheel must be 3 metres.

_____________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

ii. Hence, or otherwise, state amount of time, in seconds, that it takes for the smaller wheel to
complete one full revolution.

_____________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

VCE Mathematical Methods – Unit 2 Page 4 of 6 Circular Functions – Application Task (BPO)
 (c) As accurately as you can, sketch the graph of ℎ𝐵 (𝑡) for 𝑥 ∈ [0, 10] on the grid below, clearly labelling any axial
intercept(s), maximum(s), minimum(s) and endpoint(s) with their coordinates correct to 1 decimal place.

__________________________________________________________________________ (5 marks)

(d) State the maximum height, in metres correct to 3 decimal places, that the point 𝑃 reaches above ground.

__________________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(e) State the minimum height, in metres correct to 3 decimal places, that the point 𝑃 reaches above ground.

__________________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(f) Using the graph above, or another suitable method, approximate the instantaneous rate of change in height
with respect to time:
i. 0.8 seconds into the ride. State your approximation to 1 decimal place.

_____________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

ii. 5 seconds into the ride.

_____________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

iii. 7.5 seconds into the ride. State your approximation to 1 decimal place.

_____________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

VCE Mathematical Methods – Unit 2 Page 5 of 6 Circular Functions – Application Task (BPO)
Due to the extreme force placed on the body of a person on this ride, the duration is only 30 seconds long.

(g) State the amount of time, correct to 3 decimal places, that a rider at the point 𝑃 will be 20 metres or higher
above the ground during the ride.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________ (2 marks)

(h) Hence, state the percentage of time, that the rider, at the point 𝑃, is 20 metres or higher above the ground
during the ride. State your answer correct to 2 decimal places.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________ (2 marks)

The Ferris Wheel breaks down 17 seconds into the ride and the rider, at the point 𝑃, is stuck on the ride.

(i) Find the height of the rider at the point 𝑃. Express your answer in exact form.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________ (2 marks)

Repairs to the Ferris Wheel must be made as the steel beams 𝐴𝐶 and 𝐵𝐶 (see Figure 2) have deteriorated and must
be replaced.

(j) State the vertical height, in metres, of the point 𝐶 above the ground.

__________________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(k) It is known that the distance between 𝐴 and 𝐵 is equal to the diameter of the larger wheel and that 𝐴 and 𝐵
are of equal distance from the centre of the larger wheel. Using this information and your answer from part
(j), determine the exact length of 𝐴𝐶.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________ (2 marks)

(l) Repairs are underway; however, the construction workers need to know what angle 𝐴𝐶 should make with the
ground. Calculate the acute angle, in degrees, that 𝐴𝐶 creates with the ground. State your answer correct to
1 decimal place.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________ (2 marks)

End of Part 1.

Please make sure your calculator settings are in radians as you prepare for Part 2.
VCE Mathematical Methods – Unit 2 Page 6 of 6 Circular Functions – Application Task (BPO)