Act 1
1. How many degrees did he have to turn the wheel?
2. Write down a guess.
Here’s the lesson where I use this task. In addition, here’s a Desmos Activity for it.
Note: This video was taken from American Ninja Warrior.
Act 2
3. What information would be useful to figure this out?
4. Write down some questions you have in your head right now.
Act 3
Was the show correct? Have a class debate and maybe contact the producers 🙂
Common Core Standards
HSG.C.A.2
Identify and describe relationships among inscribed angles, radii, and chords. Include the relationship between central, inscribed, and circumscribed angles; inscribed angles on a diameter are right angles; the radius of a circle is perpendicular to the tangent where the radius intersects the circle.
HSG.C.A.2
Identify and describe relationships among inscribed angles, radii, and chords. Include the relationship between central, inscribed, and circumscribed angles; inscribed angles on a diameter are right angles; the radius of a circle is perpendicular to the tangent where the radius intersects the circle.
TEKS
G.12(A)
apply theorems about circles, including relationships among angles, radii, chords, tangents, and secants, to solve non-contextual problems
G.12(A)
apply theorems about circles, including relationships among angles, radii, chords, tangents, and secants, to solve non-contextual problems
When Math Happens 
I don’t quite understand how they got 145. It looks to me it should be 150 since it goes from the 1st to the 5th spike. There are 12 total, and since a circle is 360 each spike would be 30 right? Making where it stops at spike 5, 150 degrees?
I completely agree! I think the show just got it wrong unless I’m missing something. Maybe students can write a letter to the producers of the show for fun!