Education Technology

Centroid and Orthocenter

Subject Area
Math: Geometry: Triangles
Level
9-12
Activity Time
60 Minutes
Software
TI Connect™
TI Calculator
TI-84 series
Other Materials
This is Activity 7 from the EXPLORATIONS Book:
Exploring The Basics Of Geometry With Cabri

Resource Types
Lessons

Centroid and Orthocenter

Activity Overview

In this activity, students analyze the location of the centroid and orthocenter for different triangles.

Before the Activity

Install the Cabri™: Jr. App on the students' graphing calculators using one of these two methods:

  • TI-Connect™,  a TI Connectivity Cable, and the Unit-to-Unit Link Cable
  • TI-Navigator™  "send to class" feature
  • See the attached PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity
  • Print pages 27 - 29 from the attached PDF file for your class
  • During the Activity

    Distribute the pages to the class.

    Follow the Activity procedures:

  • Construct an acute triangle and label its vertices
  • Construct medians and notice that all medians intersect in a point, called the centroid
  • Determine the location of the centroid
  • Alter the triangle by dragging one of the vertices around the screen to create an obtuse triangle
  • Determine the location of the centroid
  • Alter the triangle to create a right triangle
  • Determine the location of the centroid
  • Note that for all triangles, the centroid lies inside the triangle


  • Create an acute angled triangle and construct its altitudes
  • Note that all altitudes of a triangle have only one point of intersection, called the orthocenter
  • Determine the location of the orthocenter
  • Identify that when the triangle is acute, the orthocenter lies inside the triangle
  • Alter the triangle to create an obtuse angle
  • Observe that when the triangle is obtuse, the orthocenter lies outside the triangle
  • Alter the triangle to create a right angle
  • Observe that the orthocenter lies on the triangle
  • After the Activity

    Review student results:

  • As a class, discuss questions that appeared to be more challenging
  • Re-teach concepts as necessary
  • Subject Area
    Math: Geometry: Triangles
    Level
    9-12
    Activity Time
    60 Minutes
    Software
    TI Connect™
    TI Calculator
    TI-84 series
    Other Materials
    This is Activity 7 from the EXPLORATIONS Book:
    Exploring The Basics Of Geometry With Cabri

    Resource Types
    Lessons
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