Why Do We Learn About Cosine Functions? � The Quick and the Ed

Why Do We Learn About Cosine Functions? � The Quick and the Ed

Why Do We Learn About Cosine Functions?

by Forrest Hinton

A few years ago I was teaching the majesty of the cosine function to some students in a suburban Raleigh high school. The lesson was part of the widely dreaded trigonometry unit in a course titled “Advanced Functions and Modeling”—a fancy name for what was formerly referred to as Algebra III. Essentially, this course was for college-bound students who had completed Algebra II but did not wish to pursue Pre-Calculus yet. Most of the students in the class knew that they would not become future mathematicians or nuclear engineers, but they were, nonetheless, headed for some type of higher education, either at a four-year college or a community college.
Standing at the front of the classroom that day, armed with overhead projector sheets and dry erase markers, I

QUICK Hits

by Forrest Hinton

Quick Hits is a short compilation of question-raising news stories, blog posts, and video clips that Education Sector team members are reading and viewing each day.

• Why is watching the World Cup a great learning experience for kids? (KidGlue)
• Who knew that the school curriculum business could be so profitable? But is it wise for school districts to jump in? (Joanne Jacobs)
• So why would NYC’s UFT open a branch office . . . in Boca Raton? (Rick Hess Straight Up)
• The Hacienda Heights (CA) schools suffer from tight budgets and overcrowded classrooms. So what’s the number one issue? Communism. (We swear we are not making this up.) (The Daily Show)
• Teacher tells students they have to work until the last day of school. Student writes Chancellor Rhee. What comes next? (ABCDE)