Why are castles so tall? In this module students explore indirect measurement by seeing how simple angle measure, height measurements, and tangent ratios can be used to calculate distances. The context of castles provides a historically relevant military purpose for the tallness of castles.
In this module students use their geometry and algebra skills to analyze a wildlife refuge in Nevada. Calculating the area, perimeter, and the ratio of the two allows students to analyze different configurations for a refuge. Specifically, they look at ways of designing a wild horse refuge, using the concepts they have learned.