Trigonometry teachers often go off on a tangent, and here's a instructional activity that proves it! First, young mathematicians use a formula with tangent to prove a formula correct for area. Then, they draw conclusions about the area of a circle based on an analysis of their own work.

Concepts

polygons, circles, area

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Additional Tags

math

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Instructional Ideas

• After the worksheet, discuss how mathematicians first discovered the formula for the area of a circle
• Extend the lesson by also testing it for a triangle

Classroom Considerations

• Relies on prior knowledge of polygons, circles, tangent, and circumscription

Pros

• Includes the correct solution
• Requires higher level thinking skills rather than just solving math equations

Cons

• None

Common Core

HSG-C.A.3