Classroom Routines

Geing Your
01 Aention: 03 Using Materials:

Hands clapping. Don’t break them!

Answer
02 Questions:
04 After class:

Raise your hands. Clean your seats.

 Before We Start…
★ Have you ever flown a kite
before, and if so, when and
with whom?
 Before We Start…
★ What is a kite made of? What
are the features a kite has?
 Before We Start…
★ If you have flown a kite, what
strategies do you use to make your
kite fly higher?
○ If you haven’t flown a kite,
guess what can make a kite to
fly higher?
 Day 1

Trigonometric
Ratios in
Kite-Flying
4.2.1 & 4.2.2: Sine & Cosine, Selecting a
Trig Tool
 Take Out
Your
Worksheet!
 Recall
1

1) Name the sides of a right triangle with a given

acute angle by choosing the correct terminologies
below:
a) Hypotenuse b) Opposite side c) Adjacent side
 Recall
1

2)What is the formula for tangent?

tan θ =
 Recall
1

3) What are the properties of similar triangles?

 Recall
1

4) What theorems can we use to prove 2 triangles are

similar?
01
Trig Ratio #1
Scenario 1
Scenario #1
Ms. Nguyen’s daughter, Hailey, loves kites. One day, she took her daughter
to fly a kite under the oak tree at Northwood High School.
When the kite caught the wind, Hailey tied the string to the ground and
measured that the length of the string was 1 meter and the angle made
by the string with the ground was 30°.
Scenario #1
When the kite caught the wind, Hailey tied the string to the ground and
measured that the length of the string was 1 meter and the angle made by
the string with the ground was 30°.

Modeling & Labeling:

1) Hailey’s interested in finding the

height of the kite. Where is the
height of the kite? Draw it out!
● What shape appeared out?
Scenario #1
When the kite caught the wind, Hailey tied the string to the ground and
measured that the length of the string was 1 meter and the angle made by
the string with the ground was 30°.

Modeling & Labeling:

2) Label the graph with the given info,

and label the unknown info with a
variable.
● What do the hypotenuse, adjacent
side, opposite side, and given angle
mean under this scenario?
Scenario #1
When the kite caught the wind, Hailey tied the string to the ground and
measured that the length of the string was 1 meter and the angle made by
the string with the ground was 30°.

Modeling & Labeling:

3) Can we use tangent to calculate the

height of the kite? Why?
● If not, what are other ways that we
can use to find the height.
1m
30°
Scenario #1
When the kite caught the wind, Hailey tied the string to the ground and
measured that the length of the string was 1 meter and the angle made by
the string with the ground was 30°.
Simulating & Measuring:

4) Simulate the scenario with a real

kite, then measure for the height!
● Have 1 person write the
measurement on the small
1m whiteboard.
30°
Definition: Sine Ratio
We have learned tangent is about the ratio of the length of the opposite
side and the adjacent side to a given acute angle on a right triangle, written
as
tan θ = opp
adj
Sine is about the ratio between the opposite side and the hypotenuse!
Deriving the Formula:
1) With your table, take a guess of what
the sine ratio looks like.
● Use your guessed formula to
1m 0.5 m calculate sin(30°)
30°
 Using Calculator
Use a scientific calculator to find sin(30°)!
● Does the real answer matches your guess?
● Which formula you guessed reached the
same answer as the calculator?

1m 0.5 m
30°
Formula: Sine Ratio
● Write out the general formula for Sine
Ratio:
Sin θ =

1m 0.5 m
30°
 02
Trig Ratio #2
Scenario #2
Scenario #2
Ms. Nguyen’s daughter, Hailey, loves kites. One day, she took her
daughter to fly a kite under the oak tree at Northwood High School.
When the kite caught the wind, Hailey tied the string to the ground and
measured that the length of the string was 1 meter, but the angle
made by the string with the ground was now 60°.
Scenario #2
When the kite caught the wind, Hailey tied the string to the ground and
measured that the length of the string was 1 meter, but the angle
made by the string with the ground was now 60°.
Modeling & Labeling:
1) This time, Hailey would like to find
the distance between the bottom of
the string and the kite.
Help her draw a geometric model to
show us where is the length we’re
finding, and label your diagram.
Scenario #2
When the kite caught the wind, Hailey tied the string to the ground and
measured that the length of the string was 1 meter, but the angle
made by the string with the ground was now 60°.

Modeling & Labeling:

2) Can we use tangent or sine only to

calculate the distance between the bottom
of the string and the kite? Why?
1m

60°
Scenario #2
When the kite caught the wind, Hailey tied the string to the ground and
measured that the length of the string was 1 meter, but the angle
made by the string with the ground was now 60°.
Simulating & Measuring:
3) Simulate the scenario with a real kite,
then measure for the distance between
the bottom of the string and the kite!
● Have 1 person write the
measurement on the small
1m

whiteboard.
60°
y
Definition: Cosine Ratio
Tangent is the ratio of the length of the opposite side and the adjacent
side, and Sine is the ratio of the length of the opposite side and the
hypotenuse to a given acute angle on a right triangle, written as
tan θ = opp sin θ = opp
adj hyp
Cosine is about the ratio between the adjacent side and the hypotenuse!

Deriving the Formula:

1) With your table, take a guess of
what the cosine ratio looks like.
1m

2) Use your guessed formula to

calculate cos (60°).
60°
0.5 m
 Using Calculator
Use a scientific calculator to find cos(30°)!
● Does the real answer matches your guess?
● Which formula you guessed reached the
same answer as the calculator?
1m

60°
Formula: Cosine Ratio
● Write out the general formula for
Cosine Ratio:
cos θ =
1m

0.5 m
60°
03
Trigonometric
Ratios and Their
Application
Scenario #3: Scaling
Scenario #3-1
Hailey flew the kite for 5 minutes, and the string is now 10 meters long.
The angle made by the string with the ground is now 50°.

Modeling & Labeling:

1) Hailey would like to find both the distance from the
bottom of the string to the kite and the height of the
kite.
Create a geometric model that can be used to solve this
problem, label all the given info, and label the unknown
info using different variables.
Scenario #3-1
Hailey flew the kite for 5 minutes, and the string is now 10 meters long.
The angle made by the string with the ground is now 50°.

Simulating & Measuring:

2) Is it possible if we want to take real measurements by
simulating this scenario in our classroom? Why?
● If not, what tricks can we use to make the simulation
process possible?
Hint: (Think about the “George Washington’s nose”
m
10

question we did before).

50°
Scenario #3-1
Hailey flew the kite for 5 minutes, and the string is now 10 meters long.
The angle made by the string with the ground is now 50°.

Scaling:

10 meters outside
=
m

1 meters in the classroom

10

50°
Scenario #3-1
Hailey flew the kite for 5 minutes, and the string is now 10 meters long.
The angle made by the string with the ground is now 50°.

Experimental Results v.s. Theoretical Results:

2) Step 1: Take real measurements of the kite’s height, and
the distance from the bottom of the string to the kite.
Step 2: Calculate them using trig ratios. Leave your answer to
nearest hundredth.
m

Step 3: Compare whether those two results match each other.

10

50°
Scenario #3-2
Hailey flew the kite for 10 minutes, and the string is now 20 meters long.
The angle made by the string with the ground is still 50°.

Making an Assumption:

1) Take a guess of what will be happening at the

kite’s height and the distance between the
bottom of the string and the kite.
Scenario #3-2
Hailey flew the kite for 10 minutes, and the string is now 20 meters long.
The angle made by the string with the ground is still 50°.
Theoretical Results v.s. Experimental Results:
2) Step 1: Draw and label your geometric model.
Step 2: Calculate the kite’s height, and the distance
between the bottom of the string to the kite using
trigonometric ratios. Leave your answer to nearest
hundredth.
Step 3: Make real measurements.
Step 4: Does the reality matches your assumption and
theoretical calculation?
Making Conclusion
Let’s take a look of those 2 scenarios together:
● What patterns do you notice?
○ What on the right triangle models stay the same?
○ What on the right triangle models are different?
How do they differ?
● What’s one math theorem that can be used to explain this
phenomenon?

m
15.32 m

20
m

7.66 m
10

6.43 m
50° 50° 12.86 m
Making Conclusion Under the Context
Complete the sentence frame:
When the angle made by the string to the ground stays (the
same/different), but the string length (increases/decreases), the kite’s
height and the distance from the bottom of the string to the kite will
(increase/decrease) with the (same/different) proportion.

m
15.32 m

20
m

7.66 m
10

6.43 m
50° 50° 12.86 m
Explain Phenomenon Using Math Language
Complete the sentence frame:
Given the corresponding angles on right triangles are
(congruent/different). If the length of the hypotenuse
(increases/decreases), then the lengths of legs (opposite
sides/adjacent sides) will also (increase/decrease) with the
(same/different) proportion.
● Do we think the converse of this statement is also true?

m
15.32 m

20
m

7.66 m
10

6.43 m
50° 50° 12.86 m
 Making Predictions

What will happen if we have a decreasing case (the

string length is shortened)? Explain your reasoning.

m
15.32 m

20
m

7.66 m
10

6.43 m
50° 50° 12.86 m
Choosing Appropriate Strategies
We have learned 2 methods of finding missing
sides of right triangles:
1) By measuring
2) By direct calculation using trigonometric ratios
(sine, cosine, tangent).
★ Which method do you prefer the most and is
more practical?
 Design a Kite-Flying Model
On your exit ticket, design a rough draft of how will you fly your kite
to “optimize” the kite’s height with your teammates.
● Suppose the kite will not fly perfectly perpendicular to the
ground.
● The max length for the string is 50 meters.
○ Draw a geometric diagram, and label it with an chosen
angle made by the string to the ground, length of the string,
and distance between the person holding the string to the
kite.
○ Calculate the estimated kite’s height using trig ratio.
■ Each person will use a different trig ratio, then
compare your answers.
 Design a Kite-Flying Model
When we fly a kite outside, we usually won’t tie the string to the
ground. Instead, we will hold the string in our hand.
● How will you express the height of the kite now?
 Classroom Routines
Geing Your
01 Aention: 03 Using Materials:

Hands clapping. Don’t break them!

Answer
02 Questions:
04 After class:

Raise your hands. Clean your seats.

 Before We Start…
★ What are the 2 methods we
learned for finding missing
lengths of right triangles?
 Before We Start…
★ What are the strategies we
learned from the last lesson
that can make a kite fly
higher?
 Day 2

Inverse
Trigonometric
Ratios in
Kite-Flying
4.2.3 & 4.2.4: Inverse Trig & Applications
 Take Out
Your
Worksheet!
 Recall
1

1) What is the formula for sine, cosine, and tangent?

sin θ = cos θ = tan θ =

 Recall
1

2) What is the formula for calculating missing angles

using inverse tangent?
θ=
 Recall
1

3) What is the Pythagorean Theorem?

01
Inverse Trig Ratio
#1
Scenario 1: Finding missing angle & side
length
Scenario #1
The next day, Ms. Nguyen took her daughter, Hailey, to fly a kite again.
When the kite flew to the sky, Hailey tied the string to the ground and
measured that the length of the string was 12 meters and the height of
the kite was 10 meters.
Scenario #1
When the kite flew to the sky, Hailey tied the string to the ground and
measured that the length of the string was 12 meters and the height of
the kite was 10 meters.
Modeling & Labeling:
1) Hailey’s interested in finding the
angle made by the string to the
ground and the distance between
the bottom of the string and the
kite. Where is the missing angle and
distance? Draw it out!
Scenario #1
When the kite flew to the sky, Hailey tied the string to the ground and
measured that the length of the string was 12 meters and the height of
the kite was 10 meters.

Modeling & Labeling:

2) Without the measurement for the
angle, how will you calculate the
distance between the bottom of the
string and the kite? Leave your answer
m
12 10 m as a integer.
θ
Scenario #1
When the kite flew to the sky, Hailey tied the string to the ground and
measured that the length of the string was 12 meters and the height of
the kite was 10 meters.

Simulating & Measuring:

2) Simulate the scenario with a real kite, then
measure the angle formed by the string with
the ground and the distance between the
bottom of the string and the kite.
m ● Have 1 person write the measurement on
12 10 m the small whiteboard.
θ
Scenario #1
When the kite flew to the sky, Hailey tied the string to the ground and
measured that the length of the string was 12 meters and the height of
the kite was 10 meters.

Experimental Results v.s. Theoretical

Results:
4) What trigonometric property do we
use to find the angle of the string made
with the ground?
m
12 ● Trig ratio or inverse trig ratio?
10 m
θ
Definition: Inverse Trig Ratio
When solving missing angles, we use “Inverse Trig Ratios.”
● Write out the formula for the other 2 inverse trig ratios!
Θ = tan-1 opp Θ = sin -1 Θ = cos -1

( adj )
Deriving the Formula:

5) Which formula can we use to find the

m
12 angle made by the string to the ground?
10 m
θ
 Using Calculator
Use a scientific calculator to find the
missing angle, Θ. Leave your answer as
an integer.
● Does the answer match your
measurement?

m
12
10 m
θ
 Using Calculator
Use the Trig ratio and a scientific calculator to
find the distance between the bottom of the
string and the kite using the angle you just
calculated.
● Does the answer match your measurement
and the one you calculated using the
Pythagorean theorem earlier?

m
12
10 m
56°
 02
Inverse Trig
Ratio #2
Scenario #2: Finding missing angle & side
lengths
Scenario #2
After flew the kite for a few minutes, Hailey took some new
measurements.
This time, the length of the string was still 12 meters, but the distance
between the bottom of the string to the kite was 11 meters.
Modeling & Labeling & Making Assumption:
1) Hailey would like to find both the angle formed by
the string to the ground and height of the kite.
Create a geometric model that can be used to solve
this problem.
● Take a guess: Will the kite’s height be higher or lower?
Scenario #2
This time, the length of the string was still 12 meters, but the distance
between the bottom of the string to the kite was 11 meters.

Experimental Results v.s. Theoretical Results:

2) Step 1: Take real measurements of the kite’s height,
and the angle made by the string to the ground through
simulating the scenario using a real kite.
Step 2: Calculate them using trig or inverse trig ratios.
Leave your answer as integers.
Step 3: Compare whether those two results match each
12 m other.
θ 11 m
 Making Conclusion
Let’s take a look of those 2 scenarios together:
● What patterns do you notice?
○ What on the right triangle models stay the same?
○ What on the right triangle models are different?
How do they differ?

m
12
12 m
10 m
5m
56° 7 m 24° 11 m
Making Conclusion Under the Context
Complete the sentence frame:
When the angles made by the string to the ground (increases/decreases),
but the string length (stays the same/increases/decreases), the kite’s
height will (increase/decrease), and the distance from the bottom of the
string to the kite will (increase/decrease).
● How about the other case.

m
12
12 m
10 m
5m
56° 7 m 24° 11 m
 Use Math to Explain Phenomenon
Complete the sentence frame:
The length of the side opposite to the (larger/smaller) angle will be
(greater than/less than) the length of the side opposite to
(larger/smaller) angle.

m
12
12 m
10 m
5m
56° 7 m 24° 11 m
 Kite-Flying
Activity…
★ Going Outside!
 Watch This…
★ Pay attention to the tutorial on
how to fly a kite!
○ Decorate your kite.
○ Decide who in your group
will be flying the kite.
 What We Need…
★ A kite.
★ Your exit ticket from the last class.
★ A scientific calculator.
★ A protractor.
★ A measuring tape.
★ Something you can write on (poster
paper).
 What We’ll Be Doing…
★ Go to the oak tree and fly your kite.
○ Revise and draw a new diagram of your real
kite-flying, then compare to the rough draft
you created from last class.
★ Measure the real string length and the distance
between the person holding the string and the kite.
★ Use the measured lengths to calculate the angle
the string make with the ground.
★ Then, use the angle you found to calculate the
kite’s height.
○ Everyone will use a different trig ratio.
★ Use other inverse trig ratios to check your angle is
valid.
 Gallery Walk…
★ Walk clockwise.
★ Leave comments on other groups’
posters.
Summary of the Lesson…
1. How can trigonometry help us make
sense of kite flying, especially at the
height of a flying kite?

2. What different real-life problems do

you think can be solved using what
we’ve learned in this lesson?