Math lesson plan · 11th grade (Year 12 in England) · 45 minutes
Find an angle with the sine rule
Trigonometry
CCSS HSG.SRT.D.11England: GCSE Higher Geometry
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Find an angle with the sine rule.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Find a side with the sine rule; Find angles with inverse trig
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
Materials: Scientific calculators, Protractors and rulers, Right-triangle diagrams, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 5 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Find a side with the sine rule; Find angles with inverse trig). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- In triangle ABC, A = 80°, B = 43° and a = 8 cm. Find b to 1 decimal place. → 5.5Prompt: a/sin A = b/sin B.
- A right triangle has opposite side 11 cm and adjacent side 6 cm to angle θ. Find θ to 1 decimal place. → 61.4Prompt: Opposite and adjacent: use tan.
- In triangle ABC, A = 67°, C = 42° and a = 6 cm. Find b to 1 decimal place. → 6.2Prompt: You need angle B, opposite b. Use the angle sum first.
Hook · 5 min
- Show a ramp or a ladder against a wall and ask how steep it is.
- Share the objective: Find an angle with the sine rule. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 10 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: In triangle ABC, A = 63°, a = 14 cm and b = 9 cm. Find angle B to 1 decimal place.
- Step 1: sin B = 9 × sin 63° ÷ 14 ≈ 0.5728
- Step 2: B ≈ 34.9°
- Answer: 34.9
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- In triangle ABC, A = 93°, a = 8 cm and b = 4 cm. Find angle B to 1 decimal place. → 30Prompt: sin B / b = sin A / a.
- A triangular garden has sides a = 28 m and b = 21 m, and the angle opposite a is 68°. Find the third angle C to 1 decimal place. → 67.9Prompt: Use the sine rule to find angle B first.
You do: independent practice · 10 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- In triangle ABC, A = 50°, a = 12 cm and b = 10 cm. Find angle B to 1 decimal place. → 39.7Prompt: sin B / b = sin A / a.
- A triangular garden has sides a = 44 m and b = 25 m, and the angle opposite a is 81°. Find the third angle C to 1 decimal place. → 64.9Prompt: Use the sine rule to find angle B first.
Watch out for
- Mixing up opposite and adjacent sides.
- Calculator in radians instead of degrees.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Find a side with the sine rule.
- Use concrete materials: scientific calculators.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-11.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder