REFERENCE ANGLES

Lesson Overview
So far, students should be fluent with working with angles within the first quadrant.
Calculations involving angles in the remaining quadrant were mostly regarded with
calculators, but in this lesson students will explore reference and coterminal angles, and
using them to easily calculate trig values of any angle.

Standards
National Standards
Common Core Math Standards
F-TF.3: (+) Use special triangles to determine geometrically the values of sine, cosine,
tangent for π/3, π/4 and π/6, and use the unit circle to express the values of sine,
cosines, and tangent for x, π + x, and 2π ? x in terms of their values for x, where x is
any real number.
F-TF.4:
(+) Use the unit circle to explain symmetry (odd and even) and periodicity of trigonometric
functions.
G-C.5:
Derive using similarity the fact that the length of the arc intercepted by an angle is
proportional to the radius, and define the radian measure of the angle as the constant of
proportionality; derive the formula for the area of a sector.
G-SRT.7:
Explain and use the relationship between the sine and cosine of complementary angles.

Prerequisite Knowledge
Students should be fluent with the overall structure of the unit circle, but specifically angles
within the first quadrant. Namely, angle measures 0, 30, 45, 60, and 90 and their
significance in the context of the current material should be strongly understood in order to
extend to the reamining three quadrants.

Supporting Details
Materials
-Whiteboard, markers
-Projector, internet access (https://www.mathopenref.com/reference-angle.html).
-Calculator
-Protractor
-Compass (optional)
Helpful Information for Teachers
Documents
Web Links
Instructional Plans

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Engage 1 (5 min)
1. Engage Details
Sub-components:
Prior Knowledge, Misconception
Representative Questions:
(1) What do you know about...? (2) What have you seen like this? (3) What have we
studied that might apply here? (4) What have you heard about... that you aren't sure if
it is true or not?
Engage Description:
Students will first look at the unit circle and explain what section(s) of it has been
focused on and which have yet to be observed. They will recognize that at this point,
only the first quadrant was studied, and will theorize any posssible discrepancies.
Possible answers are greater/lesser angle values, sign changes, or opposite values.
Students will be asked the following questions that allude to the material for this lesson:
-Do you think that there is away to use the information you found about the first
quadrant to deduce information about the second, third and fourth quadrant?
-If so, what information do you think we will be using? What information will we be
obtaining?
-What do you know about the way x and y change between quadrants? Can you
connect this to sine and cosine?
2. Formative Assessments
Pre-test, Warm-Up
Students will be asked to use their calculators to compute sin and cos of several
angles including 120, 135, 150, 210 and 330. Then they will write down what they
notice about these values in relation to the original angles they studied in the first
quadrant, 30, 45, and 60.
3. Teacher Reflection
(1) What did student prior knowledge indicate about readiness to learn and existing
schema? (2) Misconceptions evidenced? How addressed?
proceed; quick review; remediate

Explore 1 (10 min)

1. Explore Details
Sub-components:
Predict, Collect, Justify
Representative Questions:
(1) What if...? (2) What would you expect to happen? Why? (3) How will you organize
your information? (4) How much data/information do you need to collect? (5) What
are some changes you noticed in...?
Explore Description:
In this section, students will form into groups of 3 or 4 in order to find all of the angles
within the unit circle that produce the same or opposite sine and cosine values of 30,
45, and 60. Students should notice a pattern both algebraically and visually as they
use the diagram to deduce that there are three analogous angles in each of the
remaining quradrants for the original three angles. Once students chart all of the
angles and graph them on the unit circle, we will discuss as a class what they hve
observed.
2. Formative Assessments

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 Observation, Record/Data Collection, Graph
Students will use their analytical and deduction skills to infer that each quadrant
contains three angles with significant values for sine and cosine Using trial and error
as well as pattern recognition, students will record their observations in their notebooks
and draw conclusions about reference angles, the topic of today's lesson. The angles
they should end up with are 120, 135, and 150 for Quadrant II, 210, 225, and 240 fr
Quadrant III, and 300, 315, and 330 for Quadrant IV.
3. Teacher Reflection
(1) Skillfulness of predictions made? (2) Meaningfulness of data collected? How
organized? (3) Justification of approach used to solve question/problem? What
justification tells about understanding?
proceed; clarify; remediate; re-engage

Explain 1 (10 min)

1. Explain Details
Sub-components:
Interpret, Evidence/Justify/Verify
Representative Questions:
(1) What took place? (2) What changes did you notice? (3) Explain what happened?
(4) What pattern(s) did you notice? (5) What surprised/puzzled you? What is still
confusing? (6) What visuals help to explain your findings? Explain them. (7) What
evidence do you have for your statement?
Explain Description:
In this section we will formally define reference angles as the smallest angle formed
between the terminal side of an angle and the x- axis. Through drawings and diagrams
on the board, students will interpret which angle is which i.e. which angle is the
reference angle versus which angle is in standard form. Using this information given by
the definition, students will come up with their own formula for finding reference angles
dependin on whichquadrant it is in. Students should be able to conclude that finding
the measure of a reference angle involves subtracting the angle formed by the x axis
and the measure of the whole angle. Afterwards, we will observe the behavior of
reference angles via the interactive online tool listed in the materials section.
2. Formative Assessments
Whole Class Discussion, Small Group Discussion
Students will first discuss in small groups possible ways to find the measure of
reference angles. Using diagrams in their notebooks and on the board, students will
hypothesize possible methods of solving for the reference angle and testing them on
some random angles of their choosing. Results can be confirmed using protractors.
Once students are confident in their findings, we will discuss as a class the process of
finding reference angles, comparing findings, and demonstrating what they have
learned in the process.
3. Teacher Reflection
(1) Quality and accuracy of interpretation of results? (2) Strength of evidence for
claims? Ability to verify procedure/results? Skillfulness in justifying approach/results?
proceed; re-engage; re-explore; remediate; have students clarify

Extend 1 (5 min)
1. Extend Details

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 Sub-components:
Apply, Elaborate
Representative Questions:
(1) What would happen if...? (2) How do you think... applies to ...? (3) Explain from
another viewpoint.
Extend Description:
In this lesson, students used what they have learned in order to hypothesize and test a
process for finding new information about the unit circle. This process is almost
completely analogous to the scientific method. Students will recognize that the
procedure they took part of was essentially an investigation using clues (their prior
knowledge) and deductive reasoning in ordser to generalize new information. Before
students leave, they will share activities they have done in other classes or outside of
school similar to the process they did in class, opening minds into a broader
perspectiev of investigation.
2. Formative Assessments
Real-World Application
Students will ponder before being dismissed what other investigations can be related
to the one that was conducted in class today. This will extend the idea of mathematics
into a broad concept of using given information to conclude new information in any
academin or practical context.
3. Teacher Reflection
(1) Quality and number of applications made? (2) Ability to elaborate on
ideas/concepts?
debrief; re-engage; re-explore; have students clarify; another extension

Contributed by:
Daniel Ferrara, Manhattan College, NY

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