Activity
Finding the Shortest Distance Between Two Points
This activity is designed to teach students who are blind or visually impaired to find the shortest distance between two points.
- Form right triangles by connecting the origin, a point on the x-axis, and a point on the y-axis (or a point with another point vertical and another point horizontal).
Note: In order to make this lesson more kinesthetic, the teacher makes a right triangle on the floor using masking tape. There are two parts of the exercise; 1: to have the student prove that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line and 2: to have the student prove that by using the Pythagorean Theorem they will accurately calculate the shortest distance.
- Understand tracking vertically and horizontally on a coordinate grid
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Graph paper either bold or raise lined
- Dots, Markers
- Tape to connect dots
- Straight edge ruler
- Masking tape to use on the floor – use a color that offers contrast or build it up so that it can be felt better by the student
- Attached Document – Floor Triangle (ABC)
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Review Vocabulary: coordinate grid, x-axis, y-axis, coordinates, right angle, hypothenuse, triangle legs, Pythagorean Theorem.
- Brainstorm with student instances when they might want to find the shortest distance between two points. (Possible answers include finding a shorter way to a place, discovering who lives closer to a specified location.)
- Review with the student the print copy of the Floor Triangle (ABC) (attached).
- The Floor Triangle (ABC) should already be set up on the floor. (Teacher Prep)
- With the student count off the length of each leg of the triangle.
- Ask the student if there might be a faster way to get from one point on the triangle to another (A to C).
- Next, again counting, walk off the length of the hypotenuse with the student.
- Ask the student if this would be an exact answer. Why, why not and how could you solve for an exact answer?
- The student should solve for the length of the hypotenuse using the Pythagorean Theorem
- Once the student feels comfortable with this have them complete the the Grid Worksheet using the media of their choice.
- This is a short video on that describes how to use the pythagorean theorem to find the distance between two points on a coordinate grid: http://www.sophia.org/tutorials/using-the-pythagorean-theorem-to-find-distance-on
By Susan LoFranco
Attached File(s)
https://www.perkins.org/sites/elearning.perkinsdev1.org/files/Grid_Worksheet.pdf https://www.perkins.org/sites/elearning.perkinsdev1.org/files/floor%20triangle%20.pdf
