A child is riding a tricycle. The pedals are attached directly to the front wheel, which has a radius of 13 cm. The rear wheels are smaller, and have a radius of 8.0 cm. If the child is pedaling at 16 rpm, what is the angular speed of the rear wheels?
A) 15 rpm
B) 26 rpm
C) 24 rpm
D) 20 rpm
E) 50 rpm

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The angular speed of the rear wheels is determined by the ratio of the radii of the front and rear wheels. The front wheel's radius is 13 cm, and the rear wheel's radius is 8 cm. The angular speed of the rear wheels is (13/8) times the angular speed of the front wheel, which is 16 rpm. Therefore, the angular speed of the rear wheels is (13/8) * 16 = 26 rpm.

A Child Is Riding a Tricycle