Final answer:
The radius of the carousel can be determined using the formula for arc length S = rθ. With an arc length of 15.5 m and an angular displacement of 3.5 rad, the radius is approximately 4.43 m.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the radius of the carousel, we can use the formula for arc length in a circle, which connects arc length (S), radius (r), and angular displacement (θ):
S = r θ
We are given the arc length (S = 15.5 m) and angular displacement (θ = 3.5 rad), so we can rearrange the formula to solve for the radius (r):
r = S /θ
By substituting the values we have:
r = 15.5 m / 3.5 rad ≈ 4.43 m
Therefore, the radius of the carousel is approximately 4.43 meters.