RightTrianglesandTrigonometry

Geometry
HighSchoolGrades9-12
ApproximatelySevenClassPeriods(1.5hrseach)

Miss.LaureanaZrada
 Right Triangles and Trigonometry
Title of Unit Right Triangles and Trigonometry Grade Level 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Curriculum Area Geometry Time Frame 7 Classes - 90 Minutes Each Day
Developed By Laureana Zrada
Identify Desired Results (Stage 1)
1. Content Standards
G.2.1.1 Solve problems involving right triangles.

CC.2.3.8.A.3 Understand and apply the Pythagorean theorem to solve problems.

G.2.1.1.1 Use the Pythagorean theorem to write and/or solve problems involving right triangles.

G.2.1.1.2 Use trigonometric ratios to write and/or solve problems involving right triangles.
CC.2.3.HS.A.7 Apply trigonometric ratios to solve problems involving right triangles.

G.1.3.2 Write formal proofs and/or use logic statements to construct or validate arguments.

CC.2.3.HS.A.14 Apply geometric concepts to model and solve real-world problems.

Understandings Essential Questions
Through this unit students will gain an understanding for the special - In a right triangle, how can you determine unknown side lengths
properties associated with right triangles. or angle measures?
- Multiple answers
- Students will understand that the Pythagorean Theorem is used to - Pythagorean Theorem, Trigonometry, Special
solve problems involving right triangles. Right Triangle Theorems, Addition/Subtraction,
- Students will understand that the converse of the Pythagorean Triangle Inequality Theorem
Theorem is used to determine whether a triangle is a right triangle - Where do we see right triangles in the real world?
and if not. They will also understand that the converse can be used - Why would a skiier be interested in learning about the
to classify any triangle by its angles. pythagorean theorem?
- Students will understand that Special Right Triangles carry properties - What is the best way to ensure that building angles are 90
unique to themselves. They will understand that the theorems degrees where they should be?
associated with 30-60-90 and 45-45-90 triangles can be used to solve - Why might someone use the understanding of right triangles and
for missing side lengths quickly. the pythagorean theorem?
- Students will understand that trigonometric ratios exist (Sine, Cosine,
and Tangent) and can be used to solve problems regarding right
triangles angles and side lengths.
- Students will understand that the inverse trigonometric functions can
be used to determine missing angles in a right triangle.
 - Students will write proofs using knowledge of right triangle
properties.
- Students will be able to solve real world problems involving right
triangles and angles of elevation and depression.
2D Related Misconceptions

It must be made clear that these concepts only apply to right triangles,
triangles that have one right angle. Trigonometric functions will not work for
acute, obtuse, or equiangular triangles.

2B Knowledge 2C Skills
Students will know Students will be able to

- That right triangles are present in our day-to-day lives and - Use the Pythagorean Theorem to solve problems involving right
being able to determine angle measures and side length triangles.
measures has a direct real world application. - Use the Pythagorean Theorem to recognize Pythagorean Triples.
- Use the converse of the Pythagorean Theorem to determine
- The Pythagorean Theorem - In a right triangle, the square of
whether or not a given triangle in a right triangle.
the length of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the - Use concepts of special right triangle to solve for side lengths and
squares of the lengths of the legs. angles of a given right triangle.
- A Pythagorean Triple is a set of three positive integers a,b, and - Apply trigonometric ratios to solve for unknown side lengths of a
c that satisfy the equation a2 + b2 = c2 . right triangle.
- The Converse of the Pythagorean Theorem - If the square of - Apply the inverse of trigonometric ratios to solve for unknown
the length of the longest side of a triangle is equal to the sum angle measures of a right triangle.
of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides, then the - Solve real-world problems involving right triangles and angles of
elevation and angles of depression.
triangle is a right triangle.
- Write proofs that include their knowledge of right triangles,
- In a 45-45-90 triangle, the hypotenuse is 2 times as long as properties of right triangles, and right triangle theorems.
each leg.
( hypotenuse = leg 2 .)
- In a 30-60-90 triangle, the hypotenuse is twice as long as the
shorter leg, and the longer leg is 3 times as long as the
shorter leg.
( hypotenuse = 2 shorter leg and longer leg = shorter leg 3 .)
- A trigonometric ratio is a ratio of the lengths of two sides in a
right triangle. They can be used to determine unknowns
measures of sides or angles in right triangles.
- The ratio of the length of the legs in a right triangle is constant
for a given angle measure, . This is known as the tangent
 ratio.
tan() = length of leg adjacent to .
length of leg opposite

- Sine and Cosine are trigonometric ratios for angles of a right

triangle. They involve the legs of the triangles and the
hypotenuse of the triangle.
length of leg opposite to
sin() = length of hypotenuse

length of leg adjacent to

cos() = length of hypotenuse

- If you look up at an object, the angle your line of sight makes

with a horizontal line is called the angle of elevation. If you
look down at an object the angle your line of sight makes with
a horizontal line is called the angle of depression.
- Solving a right triangle means finding the measure of all of its
sides and angles. You can solve a right triangle is you have two
side lengths, or if you have one side length and one angle
measure that is not the right angle.
- That they can use their knowledge of right triangles to write
proofs.

Assessment Evidence (Stage 2)

Performance Task Description
In this unit students are deepening their understanding for triangles and in particular, right triangles. They will examine the
relationships that exist between side lengths and angle measures as they explore topics of trigonometric ratios. This chapter
has a lot of application to real world problems and it is important that students are able to recognize the use that these topics
have for solving them. It should be the goal for students to master the topics associated with right triangles and trigonometry
Goal
and be able to apply them to the real world. Through this performance task, students will be asked to develop their own test
question. It must include right triangles, trigonometric ratios and have a contextual relationship to the real world. Through
completing this assignment, students will be forced to display their knowledge of the relationships associated with right
triangles.

Role Through this assignment, students become the teacher. They develop a real world question on their own and practice writing
mathematically. They will recognize the frequency of trigonometry in their everyday lives and will be able to apply these new
 concepts to familiar situations. Students will need to make connections to their lives while focusing on the specific
mathematical topics of study. By creating their own problem, applicable to the real world, they will gain a fuller appreciation
for the necessity of learning math and developing a full understanding of the concepts related to right triangles and
trigonometry.

Students are writing these problems for each other, as if they were the teacher writing a problem for their students. They are
required to write a real world problem that incorporates the topics of right triangles and trigonometry. The other students in
the class will use the problems written by each other as a review or practice of the topics learned. Each student, like any
Audience
teacher, will be the master of their own problem. They will provide a fully worked solution and be able to answer students
questions about their problem. This will encourage students to communicate with one another with the topic of mathematics
as a focus.

Students become the teachers of this geometry test and each teacher is required to produce a real world word problem with
context. It must contain information learned throughout this unit in particular; right triangles and trigonometry. They will share
Situation their problems with the rest of the class and be able to answer any questions that other students may have - just like a
teacher would for their class. They will provide fully worked solutions and be able to explain verbally how they solved the
problem that they wrote, carefully noting the theorems and properties of right triangles and trigonometry used.

I want students to be able to draw connections to what they have learned in class and what applies in the real world. They
should not only be able to solve problems that are assigned to them, but also recognize how these concepts can be applied
and solved in the real world. I want them to search for occurrences of these ideas in their daily lives and create their own
Product/Performance problem that used the properties learned. I also want to encourage students to verbalize their mathematical thoughts and be
able to explain the processes they use to solve problems. By making them masters of their own problems they will be able to
verbalize their methods of solving these types of mathematical problems. These questions will serve as a culmination of
everything the class has learned throughout this unit and will be great practice and review for the unit exam at the end.

The example problems should be unique and applicable to the real world. Students should be able to answer questions from
Standards their peers relating to their problem and be able to provide a fully worked solution. They will understand the theorems and/or
properties of right triangles needed to solve their created problem.

Other Evidence
Bell Ringers and Exit Slips
On some days, students may be required to solve and hand in quick check-for-understanding questions, or questions to review what has been
learned, to ensure each student is following along with each lesson. Some will be graded for completion while others may be used to generate
conversation that will segway nicely into the lesson. These are solely for the purpose of checking their comprehension to determine if changes are
necessary for the following lesson. If students are struggling with the concepts at the end of a particular day, the class will take more time the
 following day to go over those same ideas.
Homework
Both textbook problems and teacher-developed worksheet problems will be assigned and checked for completion and practice. This is for the
students to determine if they need to ask questions or seek further help.
Unit Exam
Solving right triangles - Pythagorean theorem
Recognizing right triangles - Pythagorean theorem converse and Pythagorean Triples
Using special right triangle properties
Writing proofs associated with right triangles
Apply trigonometric ratios to solve right triangles
Use right triangles and trigonometry to solve real world problems associated with angles of elevation and depression
Test-Corrections
Students will have the opportunity to receive a point for every point lost on the exam.
For example, if a student receives a 50% on the exam, by completing accurate test corrections, they can earn a 75%.
Full work is required along with a correct answer and explanation (why did I get this problem wrong the first time?)
Students learn a lot through their mistakes; the goal of this is to ensure that the same mistakes will not be made in the future or on the
cumulative final exam.
All test corrections will be due 10 class periods after graded exams are returned.
In-Class Activities
The activities we do in class (Independent/group work, practice problems, worksheets) will also serve as formative assessment throughout the
unit. If students are struggling with practice problems, it could be an indication of a misunderstanding, so this will show if students are on the
right track with their learning.

Learning Plan (Stage 3)

Where are your students headed? Where have
they been? How will you make sure the My students are headed towards a deeper understanding geometric figures. In particular they
students know where they are going? will be taking a closer look at right triangles and will study the special properties and theorems
associated with right triangles. Here we will formally introduce trigonometry and show students
the application of trigonometric ratios, Sine, Cosine, and Tangent, for solving right triangles for
their angles and their side lengths. To ensure that students know where they are going I plan to
show them a lot of application problems and play on their interests. This unit has a lot of real
world potential and might open students eyes to the applications of math in the real world. I
want to show them how right triangles can be found all around us. My goal is to provide them
with the necessary tools for understanding and learning when outside the classroom setting.

How will you hook students at the beginning of

the unit? To hook my students I will show them the types of problems we will be able to solve at the
conclusion of this unit. Some word problems may seem complex, but students will see that the
application of trigonometric ratios is something they are ready to master. This unit will grow
 their confidence as they begin to realize their ability to solve these types of problems.

What events will help students experience and

explore the big idea and questions in the unit? Throughout this unit students will be given the opportunity to think deeply about their past
How will you equip them with needed skills and experiences as well as their daily lives as they are encouraged to make connections between
knowledge? what we learn in the classroom to what they experience in the real world. While it is oftentimes
difficult for students to do, I want to encourage them to struggle and think critically about what
they have learned up until this point. To equip them with the needed skills, I will guide them
through a series of activities that force students to develop the concepts themselves, instead of
me just telling the information to them. They will be expected to build upon information that
they have already learned to comprehend further topics. When necessary, I will clearly and
efficiently explain the ideas that they cannot conclude on their own.

How will you cause students to reflect and

rethink? How will you guide them in rehearsing, For mathematics, students learn best through practice. The more they practice different kinds of
revising, and refining their work? problems, the more comfortable they get with using and manipulating the equations. They also
gain a strong sense of how the formulas, postulates and theorems apply to the real world
examples, as they can picture the problem as being something they have probably
experienced in the past. By encouraging students to relate concepts to their past experiences
they will be forced to reflect upon their previous understandings.

How will you help students to exhibit and

self-evaluate their growing skills, knowledge, Encouraging students to show their work in mathematics is so important. For them to learn
and understanding throughout the unit? perseverance, an attempt must be made on every problem. If they make mistakes, it is crucial
that they learn from them. This is why I think test corrections can be a very valuable lesson. By
correcting their tests, they themselves evaluate their understanding and by correcting the
mistakes, they gain a stronger understanding of the material. By understanding why they made
the mistake in the first place, we can ensure that the same mistake will not be made in the
future.

How will you tailor and otherwise personalize

the learning plan to optimize the engagement In math there are various ways to present information and students learn best in many different
and effectiveness of ALL students, without ways. Understanding how my students differ in learning styles and what motivates them to
compromising the goals of the unit? strive for deep understanding will help me tailor my lessons towards some students while
continuing to optimize the engagement and effectiveness with all students. This is why I may
present concepts with a verbal definition, a written form of explanation, and a visual
representation of what it is and looks like both in the real world and graphically. This will help
target students with particular learning styles, while continuing to engage the whole class and
help the group work towards the goals of the unit. Since students learn at different rates, I will
provide opportunities that challenge higher achieving students, while simultaneously providing
different opportunities for lower achieving students to truly grasp the new topics. An example of
 this specifically can be seen in day 2 of this unit, where students are grouped and assigned
either a single step practice worksheet, or a multi step worksheet, depending on prior and
formative assessment.

How will you organize and sequence the learning

activities to optimize the engagement and I would like to present the information over the 7 days in a systematic manner so that it is easy
achievement of ALL students? to follow. See below for the expected timeline. There will be plenty of time for students to
practice along the way as we add to their knowledge of right triangles. This will allow them to
ask questions and deepen their understanding. By using this schedule and a variety of activities,
students will fully understand right triangles and trigonometry.

From: Wiggins, Grant and J. Mc Tighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
ISBN # 0-87120-313-8 (ppk)

Calendar/DailyOverview:
Day 1 Day 2 *Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7

Pythagorean Special right Practice solving right Trigonometric Application of Practice solving Test
Theorem and its triangles triangles ratios (Sine, right triangles right triangles &
converse cosine, tangent) (elevation & review
depression)
Proof Packet Practice *Optional Day if students Practice writing
with groups worksheet need more practice. This trigonometric Practice problems Review Packet
day could be moved and equations and regarding
placed anywhere if solving for elevation and Egg Hunt
necessary missing sides and depression
angles
ResourceList:
- Promethean Board, Google Slide Presentations
- Whiteboards, markers
- Handouts, worksheets, triangle cut-outs (part of Pythagorean Proof Packet)
- Egg hunt review questions, Plastic eggs for hunt