Education Technology


Year 10A: Unit Circle

by Neale Woods

Objectives

ACMMG274 - Use the unit circle to define trigonometric functions, and graph them with and without the use of digital technologies

Vocabulary

  • Sine
  • Cosine
  • Tangent
  • Unit circle
  • Complementary angles

About the Lesson

Students are provided with three activity files, sine, cosine and tangent. Each file looks at the specific trigonometric ratio and allows student to explore how the angle is related to the unit circle. Students then animate the unit circle and see the graph and table of values produced at the same time helping them connect the numerical and visual representations of the ratio. The activity documents require students to rehearse the calculations helping them identify patterns in behaviour and therefore connect all three ratios conceptually.