Compare the shadows cast by a small stick and a larger object such as a column of a Greek building. Check the angles at which the shadows are cast and confirm whether the two objects create similar triangles. Use equivalent ratios to calculate the lengths of triangles' sides: height of an object or the length of a shadow. Explore how right-angle triangles can be used in measurement, including special properties of the isosceles right-angle triangle. This learning object is one in a series of ten objects.
Objective
1. Students apply knowledge of relationships between sides of similar triangles to calculate side lengths in right-angle triangles.
2. Students use multiplicative and ratio strategies to solve measurement problems.
