Trigonometry Investigation
- Author:
- dthurston
- Topic:
- Trigonometry
Goal: Use Angle Measures to Find Distances and Distances to Find Angle Measures
Trigonometry is all about using angles and lengths together to find missing information. Today, we'll investigate this connection and see if we can draw some conclusions. Use the directions and applet below as well as your recording sheet!
1. Get "your" angle from the top of the bookcase. Use the slider for "a" to set "a" to your angle.
2. Record the lengths of AB, BC, and AC in the first row of your recording sheet.
3. Drag point A and/or point B to change the size of your triangle (your angle "a" should stay the same).
4. Record the new lengths of AB, BC, and AC in the next row of your recording sheet.
5. Repeat this until you've filled in all rows of your recording sheet.
6. Pick up part 2 of your recording sheet from the bookcase and use your calculator to fill in the table.
7. Use your results to solve for "x" in the problem on the board!