An interactive applet and associated web page that demonstrate isosceles triangles (two sides the same length). The applet presents a triangle where the user can drag any vertex. As the vertex is dragged the others move automatically to keep the triangle isosceles. The angles are also updated continuously to show that the base angles are always congruent. Applet can be enlarged to full screen size for use with a classroom projector. This resource is a component of the Math Open Reference Interactive Geometry textbook project at http://www.mathopenref.com.

Students learn about catapults, including the science and math concepts behind them, as they prepare for the associated activity in which they design, build and test their own catapults. They learn about force, accuracy, precision and angles.

Students explore in detail how the Romans built aqueducts using arches—and the geometry involved in doing so. Building on what they learned in the associated lesson about how innovative Roman arches enabled the creation of magnificent structures such as aqueducts, students use trigonometry to complete worksheet problem calculations to determine semicircular arch construction details using trapezoidal-shaped and cube-shaped blocks. Then student groups use hot glue and half-inch wooden cube blocks to build model aqueducts, doing all the calculations to design and build the arches necessary to support a water-carrying channel over a three-foot span. They calculate the slope of the small-sized aqueduct based on what was typical for Roman aqueducts at the time, aiming to construct the ideal slope over a specified distance in order to achieve a water flow that is not spilling over or stagnant. They test their model aqueducts with water and then reflect on their performance.

An interactive applet and associated web page that demonstrate the three types of triangle: acute, obtuse and right. The applet shows a triangle that is initially obtuse (one angle greater than 90 degrees) which the user can reshape by dragging any vertex. There is a message changes in real time while the triangle is being dragged that tells if the triangle is an acute, right or obtuse triangle and gives the reason why. By experimenting with the triangle student can develop an intuitive sense of the difference between these three classes of triangle. Applet can be enlarged to full screen size for use with a classroom projector. This resource is a component of the Math Open Reference Interactive Geometry textbook project at http://www.mathopenref.com.

The lesson begins by introducing Olympics as the unit theme. The purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to the techniques of engineering problem solving. Specific techniques covered in the lesson include brainstorming and the engineering design process. The importance of thinking out of the box is also stressed to show that while some tasks seem impossible, they can be done. This introduction includes a discussion of the engineering required to build grand, often complex, Olympic event centers.

Students take a close look at truss structures, the geometric shapes that compose them, and the many variations seen in bridge designs in use every day. Through a guided worksheet, students draw assorted 2D and 3D polygon shapes and think through their forms and interior angles (mental “testing”) before and after load conditions are applied. They see how engineers add structural members to polygon shapes to support them under compression and tension, and how triangles provide the strongest elemental shape. A PowerPoint® presentation is provided. This lesson prepares students for two associated activities that continue the series on polygons and trusses.

Students learn about the role engineers play in designing and building truss structures. Simulating a real-world civil engineering challenge, student teams are tasked to create strong and unique truss structures for a local bridge. They design to address project constraints, including the requirement to incorporate three different polygon shapes, and follow the steps of the engineering design process. They use hot glue and Popsicle sticks to create their small-size bridge prototypes. After compressive load tests, they evaluate their results and redesign for improvement. They collect, graph and analyze before/after measurements of interior angles to investigate shape deformation. A PowerPoint® presentation, design worksheet and data collection sheet are provided. This activity is the final step in a series on polygons and trusses.

An interactive applet and associated web page that show the relationship between the perimeter and area of a triangle. It shows that a triangle with a constant perimeter does NOT have a constant area. The applet has a triangle with one vertex draggable and a constant perimeter. As you drag the vertex, it is clear that the area varies, even though the perimeter is constant. Optionally, you can see the path traced by the dragged vertex and see that it forms an ellipse. A link takes you to a page where this effect is exploited to construct an ellipse with string and pins. The applet can be enlarged to full screen size for use with a classroom projector. This resource is a component of the Math Open Reference Interactive Geometry textbook project at http://www.mathopenref.com.

Students experience the engineering design process as they design and build accurate and precise catapults using common materials. They use their catapults to participate in a game in which they launch Ping-Pong balls to attempt to hit various targets.

An interactive applet and associated web page that demonstrate the three types of triangle: acute, obtuse and right. The applet shows a triangle that is initially right (one angle 90 degrees) which the user can reshape by dragging any vertex. There is a message changes in real time while the triangle is being dragged that tells if the triangle is an acute, right or obtuse triangle and gives the reason why. By experimenting with the triangle student can develop an intuitive sense of the difference between these three classes of triangle. Applet can be enlarged to full screen size for use with a classroom projector. This resource is a component of the Math Open Reference Interactive Geometry textbook project at http://www.mathopenref.com.

An interactive applet and associated web page that demonstrate the concept of similar triangles. Applets show that triangles are similar if the are the same shape and possibly rotated, or reflected. In each case the user can drag one triangle and see how another triangle changes to remain similar to it. The web page describes all this and has links to other related pages. Applet can be enlarged to full screen size for use with a classroom projector. This resource is a component of the Math Open Reference Interactive Geometry textbook project at http://www.mathopenref.com.

Students learn that math is important in navigation and engineering. They learn about triangles and how they can help determine distances. Ancient land and sea navigators started with the most basic of navigation equations (speed x time = distance). Today, navigational satellites use equations that take into account the relative effects of space and time. However, even these high-tech wonders cannot be built without pure and simple math concepts — basic geometry and trigonometry — that have been used for thousands of years.

Working as engineering teams, students design and create model beam bridges using plastic drinking straws and tape as their construction materials. Their goal is to build the strongest bridge with a truss pattern of their own design, while meeting the design criteria and constraints. They experiment with different geometric shapes and determine how shapes affect the strength of materials. Let the competition begin!

An interactive applet and associated web page that introduce the concept of a triangle. The applet shows a triangle where the user can drag the vertices to reshape it. As it is being dragged a base and altitude are shown continuously changing. Demonstrates that the altitude may require the base to be extended. The text on the page lists the properties of a triangle and lists the various triangle types, with links to a definition of each. Applet can be enlarged to full screen size for use with a classroom projector. This resource is a component of the Math Open Reference Interactive Geometry textbook project at http://www.mathopenref.com.

The applet shows a triangle which the user can resize by dragging any of its vertices. It shows the three perpendicular bisectors of the sides and the point where they intersect - the circumcenter. These track the changes in the triangle in real time. It shows that the circumcenter may lie outside the triangle. The associated web page describes the properties of the circumcenter and points out that it the center of the triangle's circumcircle. Applet can be enlarged to full screen size for use with a classroom projector. This resource is a component of the Math Open Reference Interactive Geometry textbook project at http://www.mathopenref.com.

An interactive applet and associated web page that demonstrate the exterior angles of a triangle. The applet shows a triangle where the user can drag any vertex to reshape it. The exterior angles are shown and a running calculation shows that no matter how you change the triangle, the exterior angles always add up to 360 degrees An exterior angle is equal to the sum of the opposite interior angles Applet can be enlarged to full screen size for use with a classroom projector. This resource is a component of the Math Open Reference Interactive Geometry textbook project at http://www.mathopenref.com.

An interactive applet and associated web page that demonstrate the concept of triangle inequality. The applet shows a triangle where the vertices can be dragged to reshape the triangle It shows that no matter what you do, the longest side is always shorter than the sum of the other two. Applet can be enlarged to full screen size for use with a classroom projector. This resource is a component of the Math Open Reference Interactive Geometry textbook project at http://www.mathopenref.com.

Students learn about regular polygons and the common characteristics of regular polygons. They relate their mathematical knowledge of these shapes to the presence of these shapes in the human-made structures around us, especially trusses. Through a guided worksheet and teamwork, students explore the idea of dividing regular polygons into triangles, calculating the sums of angles in polygons using triangles, and identifying angles in shapes using protractors. They derive equations 1) for the sum of interior angles in a regular polygon, and 2) to find the measure of each angle in a regular n-gon. This activity extends students’ knowledge to engineering design and truss construction. This activity is the middle step in a series on polygons and trusses, and prepares students for the Polygon and Popsicle Trusses associated activity.

Students learn about the fundamental strength of different shapes, illustrating why structural engineers continue to use the triangle as the structural shape of choice. Examples from everyday life are introduced to show how this shape is consistently used for structural strength. Along with its associated activity, this lesson empowers students to explore the strength of trusses made with different triangular elements to evaluate the various structural properties.

Triangle similarity & the trigonometric ratios is the fundamental to trigonometry. This lesson is developed with CCRS G.SRT.5 Geometry: Similarity, Right Triangles.