Young scientists learn how to select a scale factor for a large scale model. Then they figure the scale for each of the planets and the distance between them. Finally, they construct a giant scale model of the solar system and answer...

Pupils determine scale factors from one figure to another and the scale factor in the reverse direction. Scholars compute the percent changes between three figures. 

Calculate the areas of scale drawings until a more efficient method emerges. Pupils find the relationship between the scale factor of a scale drawing and the scale of the areas. They determine the scale of the areas is the square of the...

The original drawing is eight units — how big is the scale drawing? Classmates determine the scale percent between a scale drawing and an object to calculate the length of a portion of the object. They use the percent equation to find...

Design your dream classroom. The lesson plan contains an exercise to have teams create a scale drawing of their dream classroom. Pairs take the measurements of their classroom and furniture and create a scale factor for them. To finish...

Between the time scientists discovered Pluto and reclassified it as a dwarf planet, it did not even make one full revolution around the sun. In two activities, scholars investigate scale models and their properties. Pupils find that it...

Review the principles of scaling areas and draws a comparison to scaling volumes with a third dimensional measurement. The exercises continue with what happens to the volume if the dimensions are not multiplied by the same...

Does it matter how many points to dilate? The resource presents problems of dilating curved figures. Class members find out that not only do they need to dilate several points but the points need to be distributed about the entire curve...

Dilations from the origin have a multiplicative effect on the coordinates of a point. Pupils use the method of finding the image of a point on a ray after a dilation to find a short cut. Classmates determine the short cut of being...

As they investigate scaling figures and calculate the resulting areas, groups determine the area of similar figures. They continue to investigate the results when the vertical and horizontal scales are not equal. 

What is that out in the water on the horizon? Teams work together to study the coastline using maps to determine the best and worst locations to place an offshore wind farm. The teams then build a scale model wind farm to see what it...

Help your class understand the magnitude of the distance between Earth and Mars with an activity that asks small groups to use balloons to create scale models of the Earth, Moon, and Mars. Class members figure out the distances...

Develop a more precise definition of similar. The lesson begins with an informal definition of similar figures and develops the need to be more precise. The class learns about dilations and uses that knowledge to arrive at a...

A change is coming. Pupils use unit cubes to investigate how changes in the length, width, and/or height affects volume and surface area. They extend the results to write and test predictions on the effect of changing multiple sides on...

Challenge the young mathematicians to find the exact coordinates of a dilated point. The fifth segment in a 16-part series introduces the class to the converse of the Fundamental Theorem of Similarity. Scholars use the theorem to...

Class members make a real connection to matrices in the 25th part of a series of 32 by looking at the identity matrix and making the connection to the multiplicative identity in the real numbers. Pupils explore different...

Help the class visualize operations with complex numbers with a lesson that formally introduces complex numbers and reviews the visualization of complex numbers on the complex plane. The fifth installment of a 32-part series reviews...

Teams learn about the size of a nanometer by measuring objects and converting those measurements. A worksheet then tests the groups' abilities to use nanometers by having them determine the size of objects that are too small to...

To commute or not to commute, that is the question. The 26th segment in a 32-segment activity focuses on the effect of performing one transformation after another one. The pupils develop the procedure in order to multiply two 2 X 2...

Use 2x2 matrices to move along a line. The second day of a two-day lesson plan is the 28th installment in a 32-part unit. Pupils work together to create and solve systems of equations that will map a transformation to a given...

The coordinate plane is a popular place! Identify rotations, reflections, and dilations on the coordinate plane. Pupils work in small groups to match transformations of a figure with the description of the transformation....

Right triangles are so special! Use special right triangles to discover the trigonometric ratios. Pairs construct special right triangles and find the values of the ratios of the sides. In the process, they discover the ratios stay the...

Multiplication in polar form is nice and neat—that is not the case for coordinate representation. Multiplication by a complex number results in a dilation and a rotation in the plane. The formulas to show the dilation and rotation are...

How do you find the lengths of items that cannot be directly measured? The 13th installment in a series of 16 has pupils use the similarity content learned in an earlier resource to solve real-world problems. Class members determine...