Lesson Plan: Right Triangle Trigonometry: Solving for an Angle Mathematics
This lesson plan includes the objectives, prerequisites, and exclusions of the lesson teaching students how to find a missing angle in a right triangle using the appropriate trigonometric function given two side lengths.
Objectives
Students will be able to
- label the sides and angle of a right triangle,
- find an unknown angle measure in a right triangle (given a figure) using the sine, cosine, and tangent ratios and their inverse functions,
- draw a figure for a question and use it to find an unknown angle in a right triangle,
- interpret and solve real-life and applied problems using right triangle trigonometry.
Prerequisites
Students should already be familiar with
- the Pythagorean theorem,
- converting degrees into degrees, minutes, and seconds,
- solving for a side in a right triangle using the trigonometric ratios (sine, cosine, and tangent),
- the sum of interior angles in a polygon,
- properties of polygons,
- similar and congruent triangle properties.
Exclusions
Students will not cover
- solving for a side only using trigonometry,
- using the term inverse trigonometric functions,
- non-right triangle trigonometry,
- angles of elevation and depression.