8.7 Square Roots, Irrational Numbers, and Pythagorean Theorem
Beginning Lesson
Square Dancing
What do squares reveal about the universe? Students learn about the Pythagoreans and explore how to square numbers and find square roots, confront the weirdness of irrational numbers, and discover what happens when people’s most fundamental beliefs are thrown into doubt.
Middle Lessons
51-Foot Ladder
How high can a ladder safely reach? Students combine the federal guideline for ladder safety with the Pythagorean Theorem (middle school) or trigonometric ratios (high school) to explore how high you can really climb.
It's a Trap!
How accurate are police speed guns? Students use rates and the Pythagorean Theorem to examine the accuracy of LiDAR guns used to catch speeding drivers.
End Lesson
Viewmongous
When you buy a bigger TV, how much more do you really get? Students use the Pythagorean Theorem and proportional reasoning to investigate the relationship between the diagonal length, aspect ratio, and screen area of a TV.