‭Name: ____________________ Date: _______________ Period: _______‬

‭Trig Ratios in Kite-Flying‬

‭Recall:‬
‭1.‬ ‭Name the sides‬‭of a‬‭right triangle‬‭with a given acute‬‭angle by choosing‬
‭the correct terminologies below:‬

‭a)‬ ‭Hypotenuse b) Opposite side c) Adjacent side‬

‭2.‬ ‭What is the formula for‬‭tangent‬‭?‬

‭tan 𝜭 =‬

‭3.‬ ‭What are the‬‭properties‬‭of‬‭similar triangles‬‭?‬

‭4.‬ ‭What‬‭theorems‬‭can we use to‬ ‭prove‬‭2 triangles are‬‭similar‬‭?‬

‭Name: ____________________ Date: _______________ Period: _______‬

‭Scenario 1: Trig Ratio #1‬

‭Description:‬
‭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 the‬‭length of the string‬‭was‬‭1 meter‬‭and the‬‭angle‬‭made by the‬
‭string with the ground‬‭was‬‭30°‬‭.”‬

‭Modeling & Labeling:‬

‭Hailey’s interested in finding the‬‭height‬‭of the kite.‬

‭1.‬ ‭On the‬‭diagram‬‭below, draw the‬‭height‬‭of the kite.‬

‭○‬ ‭What‬‭shape‬‭appeared?‬

‭2.‬‭Label‬‭your diagram above with the given info, and‬‭label‬‭the‬‭unknown info‬‭with‬

‭a‬‭variable‬‭.‬
‭○‬ ‭What do the‬‭hypotenuse‬‭,‬‭adjacent side‬‭,‬‭opposite side‬‭,‬‭and the‬
‭given acute angle‬‭mean under this scenario?‬

‭3. Can we use‬‭tangent‬‭to calculate the height of the‬‭kite?‬‭Why?‬

‭○‬ ‭If not, brainstorm‬‭other ways‬‭that we can use to find‬‭the height‬
‭Name: ____________________ Date: _______________ Period: _______‬

‭with your teammates.‬

‭Simulating & Measuring:‬

‭1.‬ ‭Simulate‬‭the scenario with a real kite, then‬‭measure‬‭for the height.‬

‭Height of the kite =‬

‭Definition: Sine Ratio‬

‭We have learned‬‭tangent‬‭is about the ratio of the‬‭length of the‬‭opposite side‬
‭and the‬ ‭adjacent side‬‭to a‬‭given acute angle‬‭on a‬‭right triangle, written as:‬

‭Tan θ =‬
‭ 𝑝𝑝‬
𝑜
‭𝑎𝑑𝑗‬

‭“‬‭Sine‬‭is about the ratio between the‬ ‭opposite side‬‭and the‬‭hypotenuse‬‭!”‬

‭1.‬ ‭Take a‬ ‭guess‬‭of what the‬‭Sine ratio‬‭looks like.‬

‭Sin θ =‬
‭‬‭‭‬‬‭‬‭‬‭‬‭‬‭‬‭‬‭‭‬‬

‭2.‬ ‭Use your‬‭guessed formula‬‭with the measurement‬ ‭you‬‭found before to‬

‭calculate‬‭Sin (30°). Show your steps!‬
‭Name: ____________________ Date: _______________ Period: _______‬

‭Sin (30°) =‬

‭3.‬ ‭Use a‬‭scientific calculator‬‭to find Sine (30°).‬

‭Sin (30°) =‬

‭○‬ ‭Does the real answer‬‭match‬‭your guess? If not, try‬‭the other one‬
‭formula (i.e., there are only 2 orders of combination).‬

‭4.‬ ‭Write out the‬‭general formula‬‭for a‬‭Sine ratio‬‭.‬

‭Sin θ =‬
‭‬‭‭‬‬‭‬‭‬‭‬‭‬‭‬‭‬‭‭‬‬‭‬

‭Scenario 2: Trig Ratio #2‬

‭Description:‬
‭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 the‬‭length of the string‬‭was‬‭1 meter‬‭,‬‭but the‬‭angle‬‭made by the‬
‭string with the ground‬‭was now‬‭60°‬‭.”‬

‭Modeling & Labeling:‬

‭This time, Hailey would like to find the‬‭distance‬‭between the‬‭bottom of the‬
‭string‬‭and the‬‭kite‬‭.‬
‭1.‬ ‭Create a‬‭geometric model‬‭to help us solve the problem,‬‭then‬‭label‬‭your‬
‭diagram.‬
‭Name: ____________________ Date: _______________ Period: _______‬

‭○‬ ‭What‬‭shape‬‭appeared?‬

‭2.‬ ‭Can we use‬‭tangent‬‭or‬‭sine‬‭only‬‭to calculate the distance‬‭between‬

‭the bottom of the string and the kite? Why?‬

‭Simulating & Measuring:‬

‭1.‬ ‭Simulate‬‭the scenario with a real kite, then‬‭measure‬‭for the distance.‬

‭Distance between the bottom of the string to the kite =‬

‭Definition: Cosine Ratio‬

‭“‬‭Cosine‬‭is about the ratio between the‬ ‭adjacent side‬‭and the‬‭hypotenuse‬‭!”‬

‭1.‬ ‭Take a‬ ‭guess‬‭of what the‬‭Cosine ratio‬‭looks like.‬

‭Cos θ =‬
‭‬‭‭‬‬‭‬‭‬‭‬‭‬‭‬‭‬‭‭‬‬

‭5.‬ ‭Use your‬‭guessed formula‬‭with the‬‭measurement‬‭you‬‭found before to‬

‭Name: ____________________ Date: _______________ Period: _______‬

‭calculate Cosine (60°). Show your steps!‬

‭Cos (60°) =‬

‭6.‬ ‭Use a‬‭scientific calculator‬‭to find Cosine (60°).‬

‭Cos (60°) =‬

‭○‬ ‭Does the real answer‬‭match‬‭your guess? If not, try‬‭the other one‬
‭formula (i.e., there are only 2 orders of combinations).‬

‭7.‬ ‭Write out the‬‭general formula‬‭for a‬‭Cosine ratio‬‭.‬

‭Cos θ =‬
‭‬‭‭‬‬‭‬‭‬‭‬‭‬‭‬‭‬‭‭‬‬‭‬

‭Scenario 3-1: Trig Applications‬

‭Description:‬

‭“Hailey flew the kite for 5 minutes, and the‬ ‭string‬‭is now‬‭10 meters‬‭long. The‬
‭angle‬‭made by the string to the ground is now‬‭50°.‬

‭Modeling & Labeling:‬

‭Hailey would like to find both the‬‭distance‬‭from the‬‭bottom of the string to the‬
‭kite and the kite’s‬‭height‬‭.‬
‭Name: ____________________ Date: _______________ Period: _______‬

‭1.‬ ‭Create a‬‭geometric model‬‭to help us solve the problem,‬‭label‬‭the‬‭given‬

‭info‬‭, and label the‬‭unknown‬‭info with‬‭different variables‬‭on your diagram.‬

‭Simulating & Measuring:‬

‭1.‬ ‭Is it possible if we want to‬‭take real measurements‬‭by simulating this‬
‭scenario‬ ‭in our classroom‬‭with a real kite? Why?‬
‭○‬ ‭If not, what‬‭tricks‬‭can we use to make the simulation‬‭process‬
‭possible?‬

‭Experimental Results v.s. Theoretical Results:‬

‭1.‬ ‭Step 1:‬‭Take real measurements‬‭of the kite’s‬‭height‬‭and the‬‭distance‬
‭from the bottom of the string to the kite by simulating the scenario using‬
‭a real kite.‬

‭Height:‬
‭Distance:‬

‭Step 2:‬‭Calculate‬‭them using trig ratios, then leave‬‭your answer to the‬

‭nearest hundredth‬‭.‬

‭Height:‬
‭Name: ____________________ Date: _______________ Period: _______‬

‭Distance:‬

‭Step 3:‬‭Compare whether those two results‬‭match‬‭each‬‭other.‬

‭Scenario 3-2: Trig Applications on Scaling‬

‭Description:‬
‭“Hailey flew the kite for 10 minutes, and the‬ ‭string‬‭is now‬‭20 meters‬‭long. The‬
‭angle‬‭made by the string to the ground is now‬‭50°.‬‭”‬

‭Making an Assumption:‬
‭1.‬ ‭Take a‬‭guess‬‭of‬‭what will be happening‬‭at the kite’s‬‭height‬‭and the‬
‭distance‬‭between the bottom of the string and the‬‭kite.‬

‭Experimental Results v.s. Theoretical Results:‬

‭1.‬ ‭Step 1:‬‭Draw‬‭and‬‭label‬‭your geometric model.‬
‭Name: ____________________ Date: _______________ Period: _______‬

‭Step 2:‬‭Calculate‬‭them using trig ratios, then leave your answer to the‬
‭nearest hundredth‬‭.‬

‭Height:‬

‭Distance:‬

‭Step 3:‬ ‭Take real measurements‬‭of the kite’s‬‭height‬‭and the‬‭distance‬

‭from the bottom of the string to the kite by simulating the scenario.‬

‭Height:‬

‭Distance:‬

‭Step 4:‬‭Determine whether the reality‬‭matches‬‭your‬‭assumption and your‬

‭theoretical calculation.‬

‭Scenarios 3-1 & 3-2: Comparison‬

‭Making Conclusion:‬
‭1.‬ ‭Take a look at scenarios 3-1 and 3-2 together. What‬ ‭patterns‬‭do you‬
‭notice?‬
‭○‬ ‭What on the right triangle models stay the‬‭same‬‭?‬

‭○‬ ‭What on the right triangle models are‬ ‭different‬‭?‬‭How‬‭do they‬

‭differ?‬
‭Name: ____________________ Date: _______________ Period: _______‬

‭2.‬ ‭What’s one‬‭math theorem‬‭that can be used to explain‬‭this‬‭phenomenon‬‭?‬

‭Making Conclusion Under the Context:‬

‭1.‬ ‭Complete the sentence frame:‬‭circle‬‭the correct terms.‬

‭ hen the angle made by the string to the ground stays‬‭(the same/different)‬‭,‬
W
‭but the string length‬‭(increases/decreases)‬‭, the kite’s‬‭height and the distance‬
‭from the bottom of the string to the kite will‬‭(increase/decrease)‬‭with the‬
‭(same/different)‬‭proportion.‬

‭Explain Phenomenon Using Math Language:‬

‭1.‬ ‭Complete the sentence frame:‬‭circle‬‭the correct terms.‬

‭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.‬

‭2.‬ ‭Do we think the converse of this statement is also true?‬

‭○‬ ‭If yes, state the converse statement below.‬

‭3.‬ ‭What will happen if the string length is shortened?‬

‭Name: ____________________ Date: _______________ Period: _______‬