High School Trigonometry: Resources for Students, Teachers and Parents
In the High School Trigonometry Web Guide, you’ll find formulas and graphs, homework help, lesson plans and much more. Break the complex theories of trigonometry into smaller, more understandable units with this informative Web Guide.
Expand All Guide SectionsStudent Resources for Trigonometry
For many high school students, trigonometry is the highest level of math offered—and the most complicated. The Web sites in this section can help you find what you need for your everyday homework, graphic demonstrations of trigonometry concepts and loads of practice problems to help you hone your skills.
Dulcinea's Insight
- If you’re wondering what role trigonometry plays in the real world, read “Applications of trigonometry” an article by math professor David Joyce.
- Your graphing calculator is going to be one of your best friends in trig. Texas Instruments (TI) offers the best selection of graphing calculators, but there are also free sites on the Web like Webgraphing.com that perform graphing calculations.
- When using an online demonstration, spend a few minutes playing around with it to see how it works before using it to help you understand those important trig problems.
Dulcinea's Picks
For an introduction to trigonometry …
Dave’s Short Trig Course
is maintained by Clark University Math professor David Joyce and presents the background, applications, functions and formulas of trigonometry in a manner that’s easy to understand.
An Introduction to Trigonometry
walks you through trigonometry with basic definitions and functions that increase in difficulty the further you go. This a great site for an overview of trigonometric functions, formulas and equations.
S.O.S. Math
helps you learn trigonometry through functions, formulas and equations. Each section provides a brief lesson followed by several sample problems. The answers to the problems are described step-by-step and are easy to understand.
For homework help and calculator tutorials …
Ask Dr. Math
is hosted by the Math Forum at Drexel University and provides searchable answers to common trigonometry questions. Browse the alphabetical listing of questions and answers or search by keyword at the bottom of the page.
MathBits.com
shows you how to use your graphing calculator for trigonometry, taking you step-by-step through common trig problems.
For test prep …
Oswego City School District
has lessons, activities and sample problems that can help you prepare for class and standardized tests in trigonometry.
For graphical demonstrations …
Trigonometry Illustrations
provides 25 Java-based, interactive demonstrations of trigonometric functions and basic laws. The demonstrations are easy to use and show how these functions work in simple graphic terms. You’ll need to enable the latest Java applets to use the site correctly.
Teaching Resources for Trigonometry
Trigonometry can be one of the most difficult subjects when it comes to engaging students in real-world applications. In this section we show you indispensable Web sites that can help you make trig both relevant and fun for your students.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Joining professional organizations offers a wealth of useful content and keeps you up to date on issues in your field. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics is one of the best organizations for trigonometry teachers.
- Don’t get fooled into paying for resources. Although some pay sites offer dependable content, you’re just as likely to find great stuff somewhere else. The Web is full of free resources, and we’ll show you where to look.
- We usually avoid recommending sites that are mere directories of links to outside sources. In our Education guides, however, we make exceptions to this rule for lesson plans and student activities to provide you with as much helpful content as possible. Make sure to approach every directory with caution and evaluate the links before using a tool in the classroom.
Dulcinea's Picks
For trigonometry lesson plans …
John Handley High School Mathematics Department
, part of the Virginia Department of Education, lists 40+ lessons for trig teachers. Links at the bottom of the page take you to outside sites for more resources.
Ide@s
, sponsored by the University of Wisconsin, provides teacher-reviewed trig lessons, interactive tools and other resources that offer your students real-world, instructional fun. Each lesson is aligned with Wisconsin standards but can be adapted to any state.
PBS
maintains a top-notch site for educators. Although this site can be intimidating at first glance, it’s very functional and easy to use. Choose your grade level and subject matter from the dropdown menus near the top of the homepage. You’ll be whisked to a list of several thoughtful lesson plans, including many with printable copy masters.
For worksheets and other curricula …
Funmaths Game Station
houses a database of printable worksheets that you can open and print in PDF format. Topics range from basic trigonometry functions to advanced concepts.
Mathematics Archives
from the University of Tennessee has a list of useful links for trig exercises, lessons and problems.
The Math Forum
at Drexel University is a great place to get ideas for lessons, sample problems and activities for your students.
For real-world trig problems …
PUMAS (Practical Uses of Math and Science)
is hosted by NASA and has many interesting, real- world problems for your students to solve. The site is small but growing and can help your students see the practical applications of high-level math. You can also contribute your own examples to the site.
Illuminations
contains several lessons that ask students to solve real-world problems. Each lesson includes the NCTM’s content standards, Web resources and all the necessary worksheets and activity forms, as well as assessments, extensions and teacher reflection activities.
Parent Resources for Trigonometry
Your teen will certainly be challenged with a year of trigonometry and, unless you’re an engineer, you probably don’t remember these complicated concepts very well. Here are Web sites that you can use to help your child understand trig, whether for a class assignment or standardized test.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Science organizations including NASA can help you find real-world applications for trigonometry. One great example is NASA’s PUMAS (Practical Uses of Math and Science) site, where you’ll find more than 75 practical uses for math concepts.
- One of the best ways to help your teenager is to ask her teacher what the class is studying and what is coming up next. The other sections of this Web guide will be of particular interest to many parents and can provide ideas for ways to help your child stay on top of current assignments and prepare for new units.
- For many more Web sites that can help you teach trigonometry at home, see our findingDulcinea Homeschooling Web Guide.
Dulcinea's Picks
For educational standards …
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)
has a “Family Resources” section on its Web site with information about math in schools, online activities and demonstrations based on where your children are in their math education, and explanations of the NCTM standards.
FunBrain
’s “Standards Finder” tells you what students in a particular subject and grade level should be learning. Although this might not line up exactly with what your child is learning in school, it can give you a good idea of what at-home material might be helpful to your child.
For trigonometry resources …
Dave’s Short Trig Course
is maintained by Clark University Math professor David Joyce. The course presents the background, applications, functions and formulas of trigonometry in a manner that’s easy to understand. If you’re not sure that trig is for your teen, check out the “Applications of trigonometry” section.
Math for Morons Like Us
, part of the ThinkQuest Library, is the place to go for help if you and your teen feel that you’re in over your head. You’ll find explanations of trigonometric ratios, identities, and equations and triangles. These major sections are divided into subsections that explain the concepts in detail and offer sample problems. Each section ends with a well-crafted quiz.
PinkMonkey.com
has an online trigonometry textbook that can help you follow along with your teen. The lessons start with the basics and get more complicated the further you go.
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