Shortest Distance Between Points and Lines

Author

Texas Instruments

Alignment

Standards Alignment

Textbook Alignment

Subject Area

Math: Geometry: Points, Lines and Angles

Level

9-12

Activity Time

90 Minutes

Software

TI Connect™

TI Calculator

TI-84 series

Applications

Cabri™ Jr. for TI-83 Plus and TI-84 Plus

Other Materials

This is Activity 5 from the EXPLORATIONS Book:
Cabri™ Jr.: Interactive Geometry Activities and Investigations.

Resource Types

Lessons

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Shortest Distance Between Points and Lines

Activity Overview

This activity investigates concepts such as the shortest distance between two points in a plane, and the shortest distance between a line and a point not on the line. The analytical explanation of these concepts is supported with visual illustrations.

Before the Activity

Install the Cabri Jr. App on the students' graphing calculators using TI-Connect™, a TI Connectivity Cable and the Unit-to-Unit Link Cable

Use the TI-Navigator™ to transfer the attached Cabri Jr. AppVar files to each calculator

See the attached PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity

Print pages 27 - 30 from the attached PDF file for your class

During the Activity

Distribute the pages to your class.

Follow the Activity procedures:

Use the AppVar to go directly to the exploration section

Draw two segments sharing an endpoint

Measure the lengths of the two segments and find the sum

Drag the point on the segments until the sum of the segments is at its lowest possible value

Understand how the shortest distance between two points is a straight line

Draw a line, a point not on the line, and a segment connecting them

Find the location of the point on the line such that the length of the segment is the shortest

Draw a line, two points not on the line, and segments that connect the points to one point on the line

Note the relationship between the angles formed when the sum of the segments is minimum

After the Activity

Review student results:

As a class, discuss questions that appeared to be more challenging

Re-teach concepts as necessary

Download Files

Download All Files (ZIP)

Before the Activity Files

Teacher Notes Appendix A PDF Teacher Notes Appendix B PDF Teacher Notes PDF CBIG0501.8xv CBIG0502.8xv CBIG0503.8xv

Author

Texas Instruments

Alignment

Standards Alignment

Textbook Alignment

Subject Area

Math: Geometry: Points, Lines and Angles

Level

9-12

Activity Time

90 Minutes

Software

TI Connect™

TI Calculator

TI-84 series

Applications

Cabri™ Jr. for TI-83 Plus and TI-84 Plus

Other Materials

This is Activity 5 from the EXPLORATIONS Book:
Cabri™ Jr.: Interactive Geometry Activities and Investigations.

Resource Types

Lessons

Report an Issue

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Shortest Distance Between Points and Lines

Cabri™ Jr. for TI-83 Plus and TI-84 Plus

Shortest Distance Between Points and Lines

Before the Activity Files

Cabri™ Jr. for TI-83 Plus and TI-84 Plus

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