Real Life Geometry A WebQuest for High School Geometry

Designed by: Victoria Veer

Introduction:

This WebQuest is for you to explore some of the practical applications of Geometry. So many of you have asked me, “When will we ever use this?” – and here you will hopefully find many answers.

The Task:

You are to investigate five (5) of the websites in the list of Practical Applications of Geometry. You will be required to fill out a worksheet describing your experience and your thoughts. Please print out the worksheet (if it has not already been provided to you) and use it to record your experiences and your thoughts. You will need to answer all the given questions and you are free to add any other (appropriate) comments as you see fit.

Resources:

Here you will find the list of Practical Applications of Geometry website links. Once again, you are to choose the five that seem most interesting to you. If none of these seem interesting “Google” real life geometry and see what sites they suggest. You may use any you find as long as you document their web address.

Practical Applications of Geometry

Art – Fractals Art & Math - Fractals

Art – Native American Native American Geometry

Art – Paper Mosaics Origami

Bridges Geometry of Bridges

Buildings & Car Geometry of Building and Car

Communications Satellite Receiver (PARABOLA)

Computer Graphics Computer Graphics

Roof Angles Construction - Roof Angles

Construction - Trades Entrance Exam Entrance Exam (p.9 - 16 math part)

DNA modeling DNA modeling

History – War Geometry to Improve War Tactics

Medical Imaging Medical Imaging

Quilting Quilt Designs

Remodeling a Home Home Improvement Project

Robotics Geometry in Robot Design

Sculpture Geometric Sculpture

Security – Hand Biometrics Security - Hand Biometrics

Skateboard Ramp Build a Skateboard Ramp

Tiling Art of Tiling

Toys – Kite Construction Toys - Kite Construction

Bridge Constructions Geometry in Bridge Construction

Any other website you find that uses shapes, measurements, areas, volumes, angles… you may use it.

Evaluation:

There are no right answers and no wrong answers. This is about who you are and what you enjoy and what you think. Your worksheet will be graded and recorded as one Daily grade. Your grade will come from how thoroughly you responded to the questions. One word answers will be worth one point each. Each Brief description will be worth 3 points. Be sure to list at least 3 things you found at the website and what you learned at the site for which you are giving a brief description. Opinions are worth a point each. Once again – thoroughness is the key – there are no wrong opinions, there are no right opinions.

Conclusion:

Upon completion of this WebQuest, you should be able to see the value in understanding basic geometric concepts. They are used everywhere!

References:

Please see last pages of this document.


Real Life Geometry Worksheet

Investigate five of the links under the Practical Applications of Geometry list. State the five links in the table below and give a brief description of what you found there. Also, in your brief description, include a sentence describing what you learned at that site.

Site Link / Brief Description of (1)What You Found and (2)What You Learned
1. / (1)
(2)
2. / (1)
(2)
3. / (1)
(2)
4. / (1)
(2)
5. / (1)
(2)

6. Of these five sites, which did you enjoy the most?

7. Of these five sites, which did you find the most interesting?

8. Of these five sites, which did you think you might want to learn more about?

9. Of these five sites, which did you think was the most useful?

10. Of these five sites, which do you see yourself using in your future?

11. What is your opinion of an activity like this?

12. Would you like to do more of these?


References

http://www.freshpark.com/?gclid=COuzmJb3jYgCFQOXHgod5GO6Cw

http://www.photo.net/philip-greenspun/photos/pcd0795/roman-forums-nuns-71.tcl

http://www.quilt-design.com/qdshopenglish/categories.asp

http://www.papermosaics.co.uk/

http://www.fractal.org/Bewustzijns-Besturings-Model/Fractals-Useful-Beauty.htm (Art – Fractals)

http://www.earthmeasure.com/Designs/index.html (Art - Native American Geometry)

http://www.papermosaics.co.uk/gallery.html (Origami – Paper Mosaics)

http://www.queens.cam.ac.uk/queens/images/WinBridg.html (Bridge Building)

http://www.afcsat.com/dual.html (Satellite Receiver (PARABOLA))

http://www.tradesecrets.org/pdf/077_Entrance_Study_Guide.pdf (Entrance Exam)

http://tandem.bu.edu/knex/knex.pdf (DNA Modeling)

http://geometryalgorithms.com/history.htm#Greek (History - Geometers through History)

http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/geometry/essay.htm (History - Geometry to Improve War Tactics)

http://www.cwc.ca/products/trusses/shapes.php (Geometry of Roof Trusses)

http://www.math.tamu.edu/~bangerth/about_work.html (Medical Imaging)

http://www.electricquilt.com/Albums/99/9909/9909p1.htm (Quilt Designs)

http://www.tripos.com/index.php?family=modules,SimplePage,show_class&class=3 (Protein Modeling)

http://www.tedlarson.com/robots/balancingbot.htm (Geometry in Robot Design)

http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/56449.html (Roof Angles)

http://www.georgehart.com/zomebook/additions.html (Geometric Sculpture)

http://biometrics.cse.msu.edu/hand_proto.html (Security – Hand Biometrics)

http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/56447.html (Build a Skateboard Ramp)

http://www.uh.edu/hti/cu/2005/2/01.pdf (Structural Engineering)

http://www.cit.gu.edu.au/~anthony/kites/tetra/plan/ (Toys – Kite Construction)

http://www.georgehart.com/zomebook/additions.html (Unusual Constructions)