Question

matthew takes a trip to an amusement park and rides a ferris wheel. the graph below shows the height, in feet above the ground, of his car over time, t, measured in minutes. what is the amplitude and what does it represent in this context? answer attempt 1 out of 2 the amplitude is \boxed{} and it represents

Explanation:

Step1: Identify max and min heights

Maximum height $h_{max}=360$ ft, Minimum height $h_{min}=25$ ft

Step2: Calculate amplitude

Amplitude = $\frac{h_{max}-h_{min}}{2}$
$\text{Amplitude} = \frac{360 - 25}{2} = \frac{335}{2} = 167.5$

Step3: Interpret the amplitude

It is half the total vertical distance between the highest and lowest points of the Ferris wheel, so it represents the radius of the Ferris wheel (the distance from the center of the Ferris wheel to the car).

Answer:

The amplitude is $167.5$ feet, and it represents the radius of the Ferris wheel (the vertical distance from the center of the Ferris wheel to the car, or half the total vertical range of the car's height).