Joel Shetler, Ian Finney, Taylor Beyal

Trigonometry is a branch of mathematics that studies triangles and their measurements.  It has applications in astronomy, geography, cartography, surveying, navigation, architecture, engineering, computer graphics, medical imaging such as CAT scans and even more. Sine and cosine functions are used to describe sound and light waves. Tangent ratios are often used for indirect measurement.

IMS Geometry students are finishing their introductory chapter on trigonometry this week. One of their activities was to figure out the height of an object in the school that is too high or difficult to measure directly. By measuring a distance on the floor and getting an angle measurement to the height of the object, they can use the tangent ratio to find the height. For measuring the angle, a homemade clinometer was made using a protractor, straw and string with a weight.

Each group was to measure the same object from two different locations and angles. The group that came the closest with their results consisted of Taylor Beyal, Joel Shetler, and Ian Finney. Their two measurements of a state qualifier sign hanging in the gym were within two inches of each other.

Elysia Stastny & Elizabeth Yoder

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