Figure A.
PAP Geometry – Chapter 8 Unit Problem
The Millennium Force Roller Coaster
Name: _____________________
Period: __________
When it opened in May 2000, the Millennium Force roller coaster broke all previous records and became the
tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world. One of the 16 roller coasters at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio,
the Millennium Force takes riders on a wild journey that features 1.25 miles of track, a top speed of 93 miles
per hour, and a breathtaking 310 feet drop.
1. The first hill of the Millennium Force is 310 feet tall. The ascent to the top of the hill 45°. What is the
length of the ascent to the nearest tenth of a foot?
2. The Millennium Force was the first coaster in which a elevator lift system was used to pull trains to the top
of the first hill. The system pulls the trains at a speed of 20ft/s. How long does it take a train to reach the
top of the hill? Calculate your answer in seconds.
Figure A shows the support structure for the first hill of the Millennium Force. For Question #3 and #4,
use the figure.
3. The length of the first decent CD is 314.8 ft. To the nearest foot, what is the total horizontal distance AD
that the train covers as it goes over the first hill? (nearest tenth of a foot)
4. Engineers designed the support beam XY so that X is the midpoint of the ascent AB and Y is the midpoint
of the descent CD . What is the length of the beam to the nearest tenth of a foot? [You must read about
the Trapezoid Midsegment Theorem, p. 431, to answer this question]
5. What is the angle of descent for the structure in Figure A ? (calculate to the nearest tenth of a degree)
Scoring Rubric
Name: ___________________ Period: ____
Question #1
Length of Ascent
(nearest tenth of a ft.)
4
Accurate
calculation.
3
Minor errors
2
Many errors.
1/0
Question #2
Time to Reach Max
height (seconds)
4
Accurate
calculation.
3
Minor errors.
2
Many errors.
1/0
Question #3
Total Horizontal
Distance
(nearest tenth of a ft.)
4
Accurate
calculation.
3
Minor errors.
2
Many errors.
1/0
Question #4
Midsegment Beam
(nearest tenth of a ft.)
4
Accurate
calculation.
3
Minor errors.
2
Many errors.
1/0
Question #5
Angle of descent
(nearest tenth of a
degree)
4
Accurate
calculation.
3
Minor errors.
2
Many errors.
1/0
Using each of the
following to solve:
Right triangle Trig
Pythagorean Theorem
Special right tiangles
3
All 3 methods
used.
2
Only 2 methods
used.
1
Only one
method used.
0
Scale Drawing
Structural Support
4
Accurate neat
drawing. Scale
provided.
Important
measurements
are labeled.
3
Minor errors.
Missing some
labels.
2
Inconsistent
drawing and
scale. Many
labels missing.
1/0
Total Score
27 possible
points