Captain’s Wheel

3 Act Math

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.

Captain's Wheel First Frame

Captain's Wheel Final Frame


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.
TEKS
G.12(A)
apply theorems about circles, including relationships among angles, radii, chords, tangents, and secants, to solve non-contextual problems

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2 thoughts on “Captain’s Wheel

  1. 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?

    1. 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!

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