Distance between Two Wheels?

This topic has expert replies
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 74
Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2011 8:35 pm
Followed by:1 members

Distance between Two Wheels?

by Ahmed MS » Sat Oct 29, 2011 10:03 pm
Q: A thin conveyor belt is 15 feet long is drawn tightly around two circular wheels each 0.5 feet radius. What is the distance in feet between the center of two wheels?


I could not solve the problem. Please help me out!



Cheers!

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 588
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2011 9:42 am
Location: New Delhi, India
Thanked: 130 times
Followed by:9 members
GMAT Score:720

by rijul007 » Sat Oct 29, 2011 11:04 pm
Image

length of the belt = AB+BFC+CD+DEA

2*pi*r + 2x = 15
pi + 2x = 15
2x = 15-3.14
2x = 11.86
x=5.93

distance in feet between the center of two wheels = 5.93 ft

Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2010 11:10 am
Location: Bangalore, India
Thanked: 1 times

by yasha_gmat » Sat Oct 29, 2011 11:15 pm
Image

As shown in the picture, we need to find the distance between A and C which is same as distance between the center of the two wheels.

Distance AC = {[ Total conveyor belt length ] - [ 2 times length of semi circle(half circumference) ] }/2
i.e AC = {[15]-[2*pi/2]}/2 = (15-pi)/2

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 74
Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2011 8:35 pm
Followed by:1 members

by Ahmed MS » Sat Oct 29, 2011 11:42 pm
yasha_gmat wrote:Image

As shown in the picture, we need to find the distance between A and C which is same as distance between the center of the two wheels.

Distance AC = {[ Total conveyor belt length ] - [ 2 times length of semi circle(half circumference) ] }/2
i.e AC = {[15]-[2*pi/2]}/2 = (15-pi)/2

Thanks Yasha. It's more clear to me now!

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 934
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2010 5:16 am
Location: AAMCHI MUMBAI LOCAL
Thanked: 63 times
Followed by:14 members

by [email protected] » Tue May 29, 2012 6:33 am
Thanks Rijul for a wonderful wonderful explanation man... Your quant is really strong man...
IT IS TIME TO BEAT THE GMAT

LEARNING, APPLICATION AND TIMING IS THE FACT OF GMAT AND LIFE AS WELL... KEEP PLAYING!!!

Whenever you feel that my post really helped you to learn something new, please press on the 'THANK' button.