Practical Activity
Activity Title: "The Pythagorean Staircase"
Project Objective:
The objective of this activity is for students to apply the Pythagorean Theorem in a practical scenario: calculating the height of an inclined staircase. In addition to applying the theorem, students should develop teamwork, time management, and problem-solving skills.
Detailed Project Description:
Students will be divided into groups of 3 to 5 people. Each group will receive a staircase of fixed height and a location with a known height. They must calculate the staircase's inclination so that it reaches exactly the top of the location.
To do this, they can only use a tape measure to measure the necessary distances, a bubble level to ensure the straightness of the leg formed by the wall, and a stopwatch.
Required Materials:
- Fixed height staircase (assume it already exists in the school environment)
- Tape measure
- Bubble level
- Stopwatch
- Notebook and pen for notes
Detailed Step-by-Step:
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Measure the height of the staircase (hypotenuse).
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Choose a point on the wall (the top of the location) that is below the staircase measurement.
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Using the tape measure, measure the distance from the chosen point to the ground. This will be one of your legs.
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Lean the staircase against the wall so that it reaches exactly the chosen point on the wall.
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Using the bubble level, adjust the base of the staircase to make it straight.
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Measure the distance from the base of the staircase to the wall. This will be the other leg.
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After obtaining the measurements of the legs and the hypotenuse, apply the Pythagorean Theorem to verify if the staircase is truly aligned with the chosen point on the wall.
Project Deliverables:
After the practical part, each group will produce a written report detailing the project process in four main topics: Introduction, Development, Conclusions, and Bibliography.
Introduction: The student must contextualize the theme, explain the relevance of the Pythagorean Theorem in everyday life, and describe the objectives of this project.
Development: The student must explain the Pythagorean Theorem and how it was applied in the practical activity. Here, the group should include methodological details, such as the steps followed, and present the results obtained. Discussions about problems encountered and how they were solved are also welcome.
Conclusion: The student must review the learnings obtained during the project, highlighting the practical application of the theorem and its relevance. The group should record the lessons learned and reflections on teamwork.
Bibliography: The student must include references to the resources consulted for the project, such as books, websites, videos, among others.
In this way, students will have the opportunity to experience the practical application of the theorem, as well as develop important skills such as teamwork, time management, problem-solving, and academic writing.
