Lab Name How to use trigonometry in real life?
Subject Area Mathematics
Grade 11 - 12
Topic Trigonometry
Experiment Title How to use trigonometry in real life?
Hardware
  • COMOS Toolkit: Computer Node
Software
  • COSMOS Toolkit: Framework
  • GNU Radio
Number of Sessions to teach the topic 4 sessions
Educational standards to be addressed
  • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSG.SRT.D.11
    Understand and apply the Law of Sines and the Law of Cosines to find unknown measurements in right and non-right triangles (e.g., surveying problems, resultant forces).
COSMOS concepts to be used for the lab Understanding properties of waves, (i.e., frequency, amplitude, period, wavelength)
K-12 Educational Goals (How the educational goals are achieved through teaching using the experiment, how the topic is connected to the COSMOS concepts used) The essential element that students will know after the lesson will be the ability to associate trigonometry with a real world application.
Short Description and Walk-through of the experiment Option #1
Day 1: Scavenger Hunt. Which group will complete all the tasks first.
  1. Students will count from 1 - 8. After we will have 8 groups of 4.
  2. The 1st QR Code will be presented to the class. Students will have to use their phones to get the first clue.
  3. Groups will find all relevant information which will lead to clue #2.
  4. Clue #2 will be another QR code on the same sheet which leads to a Caesar Cipher.
  5. The Caesar Cipher leads to what floor the go to. Once on either 1st through 5th floor they will get clue #3 near the elevator which is told to them after the cipher.
  6. Students will complete a mathematical task whereby the main goal in the task will be to find the area of a triangle. This is there next key.
  7. Students will find the locker number behind the poster of the rolling stones cover. They will have to figure this part out which is given in clue #3.
  8. Students will find the locker and connect the value from the area of the triangle with opening the lock.
  9. Inside the locker will be a balloon with a message on it saying that the clue lies within.
  10. Another mathematical task will lead them back to the classroom.
  11. At the classroom there will be another QR code on the outside of the class which will give them congratulations message that they complete the activity.

Option #2
Day 1: Treasure hunt using your team. Students will use a microphone and an access point to discover the distance from set points.
  1. This lesson will begin similar to option #1 above.
  2. The change in option #1 will be at clue #3. Students will use the walkie talkies to communicate with an access point and have to calculate the distance based upon how much power they have.
  3. Students will use triangularization to find the length of EA.
  4. This will lead to the location of a QR code/clue somewhere on the floor that they are located on.
  5. This will then continue with option #1 whereby finding a locker and continuing on the quest.
Students will determine the distance from AC, AB & CB. After students find those lengths, they will find all relevant information associated with triangle DCB and EDB.
Testbed mapping of the experiment The teacher will connect to the testbed and create a topology using the nodes of the testbed, in order the students to play scavenger hunt in city-scale.

Experiment Execution

Select the appropriate function or the node (i.e., Transmitter or Receiver) and press START to begin the experiment. In order to terminate the experiment press STOP.

Transmitter Receiver

Experiment Material

NGSS Lesson Plan
Worksheet
Lab Notes
Clue for the Scavenger Hunt

© 2019 COSMOS Project. Created by Adam Seidman, Beacon School.