This Week: We are using radicals to find missing sides in special right triangles (45-45-90 and 30-60-90). We will use these to create the unit circle - a crucial device to helping us enter trigonometry next week!

 

Common Core State Standard: HS.G-SRT.C. Similarity, Right Triangles, and Trigonometry: Define trigonometric ratios and solve problems involving right triangles.

 

Due from last week: None

This week: We will review radicals, then learn to simplify fractions with radical denominators. We will then apply this to the 45-45-90 and 30-60-90 triangles - our last puzzle piece before we're ready to tackle trigonometry!

 

Common core state standard: HS.G-SRT.B. Similarity, Right Triangles, and Trigonometry: Prove theorems involving similarity.

 

Due from last week: Similarity Problem (drawing proportional triangles matching the similarity theorems)

This Week: We will use triangle similarity theorems to prove (or disprove) whether triangles are proportional, as well as find missing information.

 

Common Core State Standard: HS.G-SRT.B. Similarity, Right Triangles, and Trigonometry: Prove theorems involving similarity.

 

Due from Last Week: Similar Triangles Worksheet

With finals done, we will use this week to cover some math that may not neatly fall into the curriculum, but is fun to investigate! Classes will be learning about...

 

Binary and Number Bases: Binary is how computers process info, but did you know it is also known as "Base 2" counting? Humans mostly use Base 10 nowadays, but we'll learn about counting in binary as well as the history of how other eras of humanity have seen us using Base 12 and even Base 60!

 

Math and Beauty: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, of course. But what if there's more to it? Bees and other pollinators are naturally attracted to flowers displaying the Fibonacci sequence. Are humans the same way?

 

Game Theory: Though also a fun youtube channel, "Game Theory" largely applies to how humans weigh risk vs. reward both in the marketplace and in social scenarios. How does human nature compare to probability? 

Students will complete their math finals the second half of this week after a day or two of more reviewing. Good luck, everyone!

 

Schedule:

Algebra 1: Wednesday and Thursday

Geometry (8 & 10): Wednesday and Thursday

Geometry (9): Thursday

Algebra 2: Wednesday and Thursday

 

Some general reminders:

1) Students may bring one page of notes (8.5" x 11"), one-sided, to the final.

 

2) If a final spans multiple days, the notes will be collected on the first day and handed back on the second. Students may NOT bring in notes the second day, though they will have access to the notes they brought at the beginning of the first final.

 

3) Given that this is the final, students will not be able to earn back points afterwards. If they have been taking advantage of this opportunity on quizzes, though, they will be much better prepared going into the final!

This week, all classes are preparing for finals, which will occur next week. Please see previous posts for topics and standards students should review! (students will also be given review topics in their classes)

This Week: We will be discovering the rules of triangle congruence and similarity (useful for solving unknown angle and side values) as we inch ever closer to our trigonometry unit.

 

Common Core State Standards: HS.G-SRT.A. Similarity, Right Triangles, and Trigonometry: Understand similarity in terms of similarity transformations

 

Due from last week: None

This Week: We will use arcs and sectors to begin examining rotational motion. This will allow us to tackle problems often found in physics regarding torque or the interactions between circles, such as a bike chain and gears.

 

CCSS Standard: HS.G-C.B. Circles: Find arc lengths and areas of sectors of circles.

 

Due from Last Week: Arcs and Circles Practice, Graphing Circles Quiz

This Week: We will create formulas for circle arcs and sectors, then use these to find curves in problems using parabolic motion.

 

CCSS Standard: HS.G-C.B. Circles: Find arc lengths and areas of sectors of circles.

 

Due from Last Week: Completing the Square Practice

This Week: We will use the completing the square method to rearrange formulae into graphing circle form. We will compare this to completing the square for parabolas to find similarities, differences, and applications for both.

 

CCSS Standard: HS.G-C.A. Circles: Understand and apply theorems about circles.

 

Due from last week: Triangle Centers project, Circles Picture project

Hello, Wonderful Westgate Families!

I have an exciting announcement: our annual Hogwarts Day will be Friday of next week, October 27^th! Students can look forward to joining like-minded friends for a day of fun, food, and activities. Is your student a clever Ravenclaw or an ambitious Slytherin? A loyal Hufflepuff, or a daring Gryffindor? Students may join whichever group they feel most comfortable with for the day, and we encourage them to dress the part! If a student is unsure of their house or comfortable with any of the groups, we will find a place for them as well.

During the day, students will be engaging in Hogwarts-themed classes with their house (Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, etc), learning and competing to earn points towards the House Cup. Can they do well enough to usurp the reigning champion of Ravenclaw? Quidditch, a sport from the world of Harry Potter, will take place in the afternoon outdoors. Please see the attached slideshow for details!

Our schedule will be as follows:

8:00 – 8:45: Breakfast in the Great Hall (HS Commons) 

8:45 – 9:45: House Decorating

9:45– 10:45: Begin Class Rotations (2 classes) 

10:45 – 11:15: Quidditch Prep and House Time

11:15 – 12:15: Lunch

12:15 – 1:45: Class Rotations (3 classes) 

1:45 – 3:15ish: Quidditch! 

3:15: Ending Circle/Awarding of the House Cup 

Important: For our morning breakfast, we are requesting donations from any family who would like to contribute. We would be extremely grateful for anything you can donate – every little bit helps add to a meaningful start to the students’ day. Please follow the link below to find a SignUp Genius with items we need.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0C4BAEAE2EA7FA7-45349085-hogwarts

As always, thank you for being such an amazing part of our community and for allowing us to teach such incredible students. Even if your student is not a fan of the Hogwarts world, I hope they are looking forward to a day of activities and fun.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at [email protected].

This Week: Students will create/find the graphing circles formula using example circles from Mr. Cuevas and the pythagorean theorem. They will then use this formula to predict and create pictures using circles.

 

CCSS Standard: HS.G-CO.D. Congruence: Make geometric constructions.

 

Due from last week: Triangle Centers Project

This Week: We will be reviewing properties of exponents and working on the second triangle center: centroids!

 

Due from last week: None

This Week: We will be creating our own circumcenter scenarios! This mathematical concept is useful for finding central points that are the same distance from three other points, so students will be creating projects based around imagined scenarios where a circumcenter would be useful.

 

Due from last week: Practice with Circumcenters