Created by Peter Geaves Shenley Brook End School

Creative idea plan for: Loci

Learning objectives covered, to be able to:
Understand the concept of Loci A) About a point B) Equal distance from a pair of points C) About a line D) Constrained about a shape
Resources needed:
Tennis Court, Tape measure, rope or string (ideally 5m long or over), tennis ball
Outline of the idea: Loci on a tennis court
LOCI ABOUT A POINT
1. A tennis ball bounces at some point in the court, if the tennis player is 3m away from the ball at this point,
a) Stand in any one of the positions where the tennis player could be.
b) All of the points you are standing on create a shape, describe the shape?
ANS. Circle radius=3m
LOCI EQUAL DISTANCE FROM A PAIR OF POINTS
2. Playing a game of doubles, one of the players stand on the left singles sideline, and the other stands EXACTLY OPPOSITE on the right singles sideline.
a) If the players are of an equal ability where should the opponent hit the ball so it’s as hard for both the players to get to the ball?
ANS. at a point of distance equal to the positions of both the other two players.
b) If the ball is hit an equal distance from both the two players, stand at any point you think the ball could land. Describe the position of the line which joins the points?
ANS. A line down the centre of the court, along the service line
LOCI ABOUT A LINE
3. A trainee ball boy has been set the task of running around the net, at all times he must stay exactly half a metre from the net, stand in any one of the points we could find him. Describe the curve which is created
ANS. two parallel lines of the length of the net, with semicircles on the end of radius 0.5m.
LOCI CONSTRAINED ABOUT A SHAPE
4. Ball boy has been naughty and sent out of the court, and has been tied to a piece of rope of length 5m, the other end of the rope is tied 3m from the corner of the court
a) If he keeps the rope taught, stand in any of the positions we could find the ball boy in.
b) Describe this shape.
ANS. b) Semi circle of radius 5m, then a quarter of a circle of radius 2m.
Key questions: Integrated into the above.

Created by Peter Geaves Shenley Brook End School