Step 1
Students engage in an exploration of points and angles on the unit circle.
Right triangle relationships are utilized to develop the relationship between angles and coordinates.
Unit Circle
Activity Overview
Students discover the relationship between the trigonometric functions of sine, cosine, and tangent and the side length ratios of a right triangle.
Key Steps
Step 2
Students link their prior knowledge of special right triangles to identify coordinates for 30, 45, and 60 degree angles on the unit circle.
Step 3
After establishing relationships in Quadrant I, students extend their knowledge through the application of symmetry to angles in Quadrants II, III, and IV.