Indirect Measurement Project: similar triangles, right triangle trigonometry
Math Activities by Behl
22 Followers
Grade Levels
9th - 12th
Subjects
Resource Type
Standards
CCSSHSG-SRT.C.6
Formats Included
- Word Document File
Pages
4 pages
Math Activities by Behl
22 Followers
What educators are saying
The students loved going outside and completing the activities using the materials instead of just calculating more ratios/proportions in class.
Description
This is an outdoor project with 5 stations for students to acquire hands on experience with indirect measuring using different tools, right triangle trig, and similar triangles.
Station 1: The mirror method
Students use a mirror to create similar triangles and measure the height of a tall object.
Station 2: The clinometer method
Students use a clinometer and tangent to solve for the height of a tall object. Directions to make a quick, simple, and cheap clinometer are included.
Station 3: The hypsometer method
Students use a hypsometer and similar triangles to solve for the height of a tall object. Directions to make a quick, simple, and cheap hypsometer are included.
Station 4: Shadow with Similar Triangles
Students use shadows and similar triangles to solve for the height of a tall object.
Station 5: Shadows with Trigonometry
Students use shadows and tangent to solve for the height of a tall object. Station 4 and 5 should actually be completed as one station.
Three reflection questions are included. A general answer key is included, but values will vary based on student data. I spend one day measuring and one day calculating during this project.
Required materials: clinometer (protractor, straw, string, weight), hypsometer (cardboard, straw, string, weight), mirror, multiple tape measures, tall objects, sunny day
Feel free to edit for your personal use. Please direct others back to my TPT instead of sharing this product. Thanks.
Please download my Indirect Measure Calculator Free to go along with this product. It will generate the answers for you to do a quick check.
Station 1: The mirror method
Students use a mirror to create similar triangles and measure the height of a tall object.
Station 2: The clinometer method
Students use a clinometer and tangent to solve for the height of a tall object. Directions to make a quick, simple, and cheap clinometer are included.
Station 3: The hypsometer method
Students use a hypsometer and similar triangles to solve for the height of a tall object. Directions to make a quick, simple, and cheap hypsometer are included.
Station 4: Shadow with Similar Triangles
Students use shadows and similar triangles to solve for the height of a tall object.
Station 5: Shadows with Trigonometry
Students use shadows and tangent to solve for the height of a tall object. Station 4 and 5 should actually be completed as one station.
Three reflection questions are included. A general answer key is included, but values will vary based on student data. I spend one day measuring and one day calculating during this project.
Required materials: clinometer (protractor, straw, string, weight), hypsometer (cardboard, straw, string, weight), mirror, multiple tape measures, tall objects, sunny day
Feel free to edit for your personal use. Please direct others back to my TPT instead of sharing this product. Thanks.
Please download my Indirect Measure Calculator Free to go along with this product. It will generate the answers for you to do a quick check.
Total Pages
4 pages
Answer Key
Included
Teaching Duration
2 days
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Standards
to see state-specific standards (only available in the US).
CCSSHSG-SRT.C.6
Understand that by similarity, side ratios in right triangles are properties of the angles in the triangle, leading to definitions of trigonometric ratios for acute angles.
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Questions & Answers
22 Followers
