High School

A gasoline-driven lawnmower has a blade that extends out 1 foot from its center. The tip of the blade is traveling at 900 feet per second. Through how many revolutions per minute is the blade turning?

Answer :

Final answer:

To determine the revolutions per minute (RPM), you can use the formula: RPM = (velocity of the tip)/(circumference of the circle traced by the blade tip). The circumference is given by \(2\pi r\), where \(r\) is the radius (1 foot). Therefore, \(RPM = \frac{900 \, \text{feet/second}}{2\pi \times 1 \, \text{foot}}\). Calculate this expression to find the blade's revolutions per minute.

Explanation:

To find the lawnmower blade's revolutions per minute (RPM), we use the formula \(RPM = \frac{\text{velocity of the tip}}{\text{circumference of the circle traced by the blade tip}}\). Given the blade extends 1 foot from the center, the circumference is \(2\pi\) feet. If the tip is moving at 900 feet per second, the formula becomes \(RPM = \frac{900 \, \text{feet/second}}{2\pi \times 1 \, \text{foot}}\).

By calculating this expression, we can determine the number of revolutions the blade makes in one minute. This calculation provides insight into the rotational speed of the lawnmower blade, crucial information for understanding its operational dynamics and performance.