Investigation Task for Year 9:

“Can We Use Mirrors To Measure Height?”

ETM 710 AT2 Marc Matthews, Student No. 221313451

Introduction:
This is a proposal for a Year 9 task on the use of Trigonometry to measure height, to become a common task across the year level. It is designed as a
student-focused problem-solving or investigative task, in line with the principles of Enquiry- [or Inquiry-] Based-Learning [ EBL.] This is an exciting new focus
for maths that is being introduced across the world and producing better results for students in learning and retention. I hope by the end of this booklet you
are also keen to take on teaching this task or exploring EBL yourself.

The Investigation Task:

The task is based on “Can We Use a Mirror to Find Height? “ ; Lundberg (2016).

(The following are my additions to the task; the full task with my annotations in context are in the appendix.)

Ask students to stop & reflect & invite them to offer their thoughts & reasonings in class. [About the topic; using a mirror to find height] Then, to make notes
which they will submit, along with their assessment

A. Ask to think of any other area where this may be true or similar. Eg; bouncing balls; can you share eye contact with someone from an angle via a
mirror? Encourage students to reflect & share their thoughts in class. Challenge them to prove their claims. How could they prove it in a mathematical
way? Encourage students to hypothesise, postulating what may happen & how they could prove it. Suggest 2 practical tasks for the next class in
small groups [3-4 students]; videoing [using student phones] a ball being bounced from 1 student to another, and shining a laser pointer on an angle
 into a mirror & comparing the angle reflections. Ask to predict possible problems with bouncing ball task [eg; gravity, spin.]Students organise
themselves for the next lesson, summarising their own notes from discussion & listing anything they need to bring.
B. Next lesson, students experiment and then record their results.
C. In class we look at photos, share results & discuss. Hopefully, with consensus, & explanation of anomalous results, we agree that light rays do reflect
off mirrors in an angle equal to the incoming ray. Ask students to ponder what would this mean if we drew 2 triangles [small & larger] similar to those
in fig.1?[see appendix] [students have covered Pythagoras’ theorem, & the functions of sine, cosine & tangent.] Pose questions to class [eg; what is
length of B-C?, what would angle ABC be?, could we work out the height of the flagpole in the diagram?]
D. We discuss how this knowledge could be useful in the world at large [eg; checking heights without climbing, ascertaining the squareness of a wall,
etc.] Ask how we could test this at school. A flagpole, balcony. Explore possible limitations. [Something we can manually measure to check? Flat
ground?] Should we measure the person’s normal height or to the eyeline, and why? Students prepare in their groups for the next class, taking notes
of our discussions, proofs & conclusions & what they are to bring/do next lesson.
E. Results are compared & we discuss them.

F.
G. Homework task is set; producing an individual report on “Can we use a mirror to find height?” Using/reproducing their notes they can describe the
original problem & discussions in class on how to solve it, the investigation of reflective angles [with balls & lasers], using these to make similar
triangles, & finally the task of measuring using the mirrors. Students will discuss their own thinking & activity, and that of others in the group and class.
They will outline what they enjoyed about the task, what they found quite challenging & what they they learned by completing the activity; not just in
the results or relevance of the task, but how they went about solving it.

Argument for the Investigative Task:

There is now quite conclusive evidence that Australian secondary students are falling behind international standards in mathematics; with both of
these organisations offering evidence in supprt; the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (2019), and the Australian Research Alliance for Children and
Youth (2018).
Also, the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers (2021), the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mathematics Alliance (2021),
the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (2021), and the Australian Academy of Science Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (2021)
issued a joint statement outlining that: “according to the PISA results, we have fallen behind by 14 months of schooling since 2003.” Not only this, but
according to Thomson et al. (2015), Australian students are less enthused about, and interested in mathematics, when compared to international students
and previous student attitudes.
As a result of this there are calls from reputable ‘grass-roots’ organisations within Australia to make changes to reverse these trends. The Australian
Association of Mathematics Teachers (2021) state: “ [we] need education systems and curricula that help deliver students to society who are up for such a
challenge – just having knowledge is no longer enough. Instead, the abilities to problem-solve, mathematise, hypothesise, model are all skills that add worth
to acquired knowledge. Mathematics learning cannot sit in silos that focus on content and procedures. Instead, it must be something that gives the knowledge
purpose.”
 Indeed, even the Australian Curriculum Review (2021) defends their new stronger focus on problem-solving, reasoning, experimentation &
mathematical modelling with a definitive answer in their FAQs section: “ ‘Why is the increased emphasis on mathematical thinking, reasoning and problem-
solving processes such as mathematical modelling, experimentation, statistical investigation, computational thinking and probability simulations in the
proposed curriculum?’ ‘These processes are central to learning, doing and applying mathematics. The proposed F–10 Australian Curriculum: Mathematics
includes more explicit development of mathematical proficiency through embedding opportunity for students to learn these mathematical processes and
building an understanding of the core concepts associated with approaching situations and non-routine problems mathematically. This is an area where
Australian students underperform comparatively on assessments such as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the
Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).’ ”
Even, if one was to ignore the above evidence, it is incredibly likely that the Victorian Curriculum will follow suit and highly prioritize these areas quite
soon. Much more “Enquiry-based-learning” [EBL] will be seen in Victoria in the near future.
Over the past 50 or more years, EBL has increased in implementation over this time, in many subject areas. Malcolm Swan have been quite
influential in the mathematics field. However, EBL has not been without its critics, such as Kirschner et al (2006] who claimed a lack of empirical evidence for
EBL. However, a number of other studies refute this, for example Hmelo-Silver et al. (2007) and Geier et al. (2008). There is much anecdotal evidence of the
success of EBL, and when organisations such as the AAMT call for change, I believe all schools should be listening.
In considering implementing EBL, it’s also important to look at the pioneers in the area and reflect on what they have discovered. For example, Swan
(2001, p.147 ), through his own experiential research, concludes that mistakes: “may be symptoms of deeper misunderstandings or may not be mistakes at all
—they may be the result of alternative interpretations of a situation.” He speaks of deliberately inducing ‘cognitive conflict’ to create breakthroughs in
learning for students. Swan (2001, p.149 ). He goes on to explain this powerful technique: “ Frequently, a ‘misconception’ is not wrong thinking but is a
concept in embryo or a local generalisation that the pupil has made. It may in fact be a natural stage of conceptual development. the power of presenting
pupils with carefully engineered examples that provoke confrontation with conceptual obstacles.“ Swan (2001, p.154 ).
Going back further, Wood (1988) demonstrated that pupils can become more active in verbal participation when teachers replace controlling
commands and closed questions with open questions and when they allow increased time for responses. Swan (1983) demonstrated that a diagnostic
approach was much more effective at achieving longer-term learning . In Swan (2014, p. 634), he outlines a very important point, that : “Most curricula
specifications are sterile artefacts that, whatever the aspirations of the ‘worthy words’ in their introductions, continue to be interpreted by politicians, assessors
and teachers in conservative, reductive ways. The descriptive language we use changes, but the reality in classrooms does not. We need to develop a clearer
vision of how the values, principles and content relate and the direct implications this has for the tasks we offer to students. Detailed exemplification is
essential and this must be designed in a careful, systematic, research-based way. “
Other researchers concur with him, such as Lehrer et al (2013, p.375) : “Conjectures, refutations, theorems, and proofs all emanate from questions. if
students are encouraged to generate questions and to follow the implications of these questions, the resulting pathways of particular forms of student learning
may be more variable than those observed under other conditions of instruction. “ Hunter (2012) spoke of educators collaborating, discussing, and realising
the importance of how mathematical knowledge is constructed rather than just focusing on its development.
Given all this, it would be wise for schools to move towards investigative tasks as an essential part of their curriculum. But why would this particular
activity be suited to an investigative approach ? For a start it draws on various sub-strands of the Geometric Reasoning section of the Level 9 Victorian
Curriculum (VCAAª, 2021): “Use the enlargement transformation to explain similarity and develop the conditions for triangles to be similar” and “Solve
problems using ratio and scale factors in similar figures.” Furthermore, it covers 3 sub-strands of the Pythagoras and trigonometry section (VCAAª, 2021):
“Investigate Pythagoras’ Theorem and its application to solving simple problems involving right angled triangles,” “ Use similarity to investigate the constancy
of the sine, cosine and tangent ratios for a given angle in right-angled triangles,” and “Apply trigonometry to solve right-angled triangle problems.”
 These areas are extremely important parts of the level 9 curriculum; all students should know them, see their relevance to other mathematical areas
and to their own world around them, and hopefully be enthused to learn more about maths moving on to senior levels. From all the evidence outlined, an EBL
approach ticks all these boxes and is flexible enough to reach all students, as research shows.
Also, if we undertake this task with an EBL approach we will be deepening students’ experience and knowledge of the key proficiencies of
Understanding, Fluency, Reasoning and particularly Problem-Solving as outlined on the VCAA website; VCAAᴮ (2021). When students problem-solve this
task they will be formulating, interpreting and communicating solutions effectively, using mathematics to represent unfamiliar or meaningful situations and
applying their existing strategies to seek solutions. They will represent concepts in different ways and describe their thinking mathematically, explaining their
thinking, deducing and justifying strategies used and proving that something is true or false. 1172
In summary, trigonometry & Pythagoras’ theorem is such an important topic to get students hooked on and these tasks with an EBL approach stand
the best chance of getting students enthused, committed, learning & remembering, & taking this all along to future maths topics.

Worked Solutions:
Example from Lundberg (2016):

Triangle 1: Length of BC: (AC = 3, AB = 5), [BC x BC] = [AC x AC] + [AB x AB] = 9 + 25 = 34, so BC = 5.83

Length of DE; method 1; AC is to CE as AB is to DE. AC:DE = 3:10 AB:DE = 5:?

AC:DE x 5 = 15:50 so, AB:DE x 3 = 15:50; [15:50]/3 = 5:16.67. DE = 16.67.

 method 2; in triangle ABC we know the adjacent side is 3 & the opposite side is 5.

So the tangent is o/a = 5/3 = 1.67 & the inverse tan of 1.67 = 59 degrees.

So, we now know the two angles; ACB & DCE are 59 deg. CE = 10 & is the adjacent side & we need to know DE which is the opposite side. I pick the
tangent function equation as we know the tangent, the adjacent but not the opposite. In this instance tan.59 = opp/10; 1.66 = opp/10; opp = 16.6.

Method 3 involves calculating the hypotenuse [CD] either by 16.67² (method 1)+ 10² = h² = 378.

So, h = 19.44. As we now know a & h we can calculate cos. x ⁰ = a/h = 10/19-44 = .514 So, the inverse cosine of 0.514 = 59 ⁰.

Laser Pointer On Mirror:

Here we can clearly see the reflecting angles are the same. I measured them from, and annotated, the picture.

Bouncing Balls Exercise:

 Here, we can see the principle of reflective angles with the angle of the bounce of the tennis ball from the right being mirrored on the bounce up on
the left. The angles are basically the same.

Similarly, when the ball is bounced from a more vertical point, the angle is reflected again.
Using A Mirror To Check Height Task:

Workings: ⦟ ACB = ⦟ CED. ( x = ⦟ ACB).

Tan. x = o/a =1.64/0.8 = 2.05 . [& BC = 1.82m = √ (a² + b²)]

Inverse Tan. of 2.05 = 64⁰, so ⦟ CED = 64⁰. [Also ⦟ ACB= 180 – 90 – 64 = 26⁰, so ⦟ CED = 26⁰]

Tan. 64⁰ = o/a = o/1.5, so o = 2.05 x 1.5 = 3.07m

Or , as AC is to CE; 0-8:1.5 then BC [1.82m] will be the same ratio to CD 1.82:??[CD] = 1.82:3.41

So Sin. 64⁰ = o/h = o/3.41 so o = 0.9 x 3.41 = 3.07m

I originally measured by hand the balcony at 2.9m but I don’t think the paving was level.

Suggested Implementation Approach:

This investigation is planned for the Year 9 Level, after students understand Pythagoras’ Theorem & basic trigonometric functions [cos., sin.,
tan.] It’s assumed that not many [or none] of the students have experienced EBL in class.

I suggest the tasks are introduced in a practical manner that would interest the group; eg; posing questions like: “How could you measure the
height of a building if you could not climb up it?” If their interest is piqued, they realise this will be mainly a practical exercise, and that they get to work
with their friends, this should ensure student engagement.

Swan (2005) suggests pre-class preparations such as arranging the room to facilitate discussion, student mini-whiteboards to aid
communication of student ideas during discussions, and using posters to stimulate thinking at the beginning and whilst students progress through the
task.

Some possible problematic student responses that might arise include:

1. Wanting to simply measure the height somehow, even by comparison.

2. Not understanding that changing the size of a triangle in an equal ratio does not change the angle
3. Mistakes in measurement; linear & angle. Also students moving around.
4. Unable to locate object using mirror.
5. Not taking clear photos [or not enough]
6. Some students disengaging & not sharing workload.
Some teacher responses could include:

1. Go with the students’ reasoning & lead them into cognitive conflict by following their logic; eg; use your method to measure a skyscraper, a mountain, etc.

2. Demonstrate this with different triangles

3. Supervise students and question: “ Are you sure that’s right?” “ Have you double checked?” “Does that look right?”

4. Ask students what could be wrong [measurements, etc.], moving around, etc.

5. see 3.

6. Try to get students engaged by asking them open-ended questions (How? In what way? Tell me how? etc.) or remind them they are assessed from their
report & also teacher observation.

Swan (2005) has some great guidelines for questioning in class and suggests that a number of pre-planned ‘open’ questions are prepared along with
follow-up questions. Teachers need to give enough time for students to think before they respond, even collaborate with each other.  A ‘no hands’ approach is
suggested, using the whiteboards or the teacher simply selecting students.

Theoretical Implementation:
After trying the tasks myself, I noticed the following:

- With the bouncing ball activity, it was necessary to bounce with a certain amount of force to get a high return bounce and counter the natural gravity.
Rather than take photos, it would be better for students to video & then take screen shots.
- It was challenging to get exact measurements with a tape measure, especially of the height of the object & also of the eyesight line height of the
observer. With 2 to 3 students this should be easier, but mistakes could be easily made & they should be instructed to measure things twice &
swapping roles [Eg; holding tape, reading measurement, transcribing] The teacher will have to get around and supervise here.
- If the floor/ground is not at right angles to the object, the calculations will be out, so I believe it would be better to do this activity somewhere indoors
or on a level constructed sports court [eg; basketball/netball]
- The actual measurement once set up did not take long at all so it may be better to get the students to place the mirror in a different place and maybe
choose someone of a different height to get a 2nd example. Also, time will need to be allowed for calculations back in class.
Discussion and Recommendation:
To summarise why every Year Nine student at this school should be completing this EBL task on trigonometry, I list the following reasons:
- Grasping & understanding of trigonometry & Pythagoras’ theorem is essential to give every student the chance to go on, understand and thrive in
maths hopefully continuing to a Year 12 level.
- This particular task, involving using mirrors, angles & right-angled triangles to determine height, should garner student enthusiasm when they see the
many real-world applications of such work.
- The evidence is overwhelming that EBL practices are the best in ensuring students learn, understand and retain information and new maths
knowledge, so this approach with this topic would be the best.
- The Australian and Victorian curricula will both be shifting to this focus soon so the sooner we implement such tasks the better. Indeed, we would be
covering much of the Geometry strands as they currently stand with this task.

Conclusion:
The introduction of this task to the Year 9 curriculum would be a positive and exciting move for the students, teachers and department. I believe
students would benefit immensely by being immersed in an EBL environment for a pivotal topic like this. I’m sure many students will gain deep and long-
lasting knowledge of trigonometry from this task and it would set them up, and enthuse them, for further maths study.

Some teachers may feel a bit daunted by the style of the task but one huge positive is that the teacher is no longer the sole focus for 50 min to 90 min
or whatever, but can eventually relax into the mode of a guide in lessons. Every teacher needs to regularly try something new; this is no exception, and it is
backed up by much research. Finally, the more investigative tasks that become part of the curriculum, I believe the subject will thrive as students’ knowledge
increases and more students choose maths at senior levels.

References:
Watson, L. (2019, December 4) Time To Get Real On Maths As PISA Reveals Decline
https://amsi.org.au/2019/12/04/time-to-get-real-on-maths-as-pisa-reveals-decline/

Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth. (2018). ARACY Report Card 2018: The Wellbeing of Young Australians.
https://www.aracy.org.au/publications-resources/command/download_file/id/361/filename/ARACY_Report_Card_2018.pdf
Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers. (2021). JOINT STATEMENT ON PROPOSED MATHS CURRICULUM WHY MATHS MUST CHANGE
https://aamt.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/20210331-Joint-statement-maths.pdf

Thomson, S., Wernert, N., O’Grady, E., & Rodrigues, S. (2015). TIMSS 2015 - Reporting Australia’s Results.
https://research.acer.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=timss_2015

Australian Curriculum Review. (2021). Consultation.

https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/consultation/mathematics/

Kirschner, P. A.; Sweller, J.; Clark, R. E. (2006). "Why minimal guidance during instruction does not work: an analysis of the failure of constructivist,
discovery, problem-based, experiential, and inquiry-based teaching" (PDF). Educational Psychologist. 41 (2): 75–86. doi:10.1207/s15326985ep4102_1.

HMELO-SILVER, C. E., DUNCAN, R. G., & CHINN, C. A. (2007) Scaffolding and Achievement in Problem-Based and Inquiry Learning: A Response to
Kirschner, Sweller, and, Educational Psychologist, 42:2, 99-107, DOI: 10.1080/00461520701263368

Geier, R., Blumenfeld, P.C., Marx, R.W., Krajcik, J.S., Fishman, B., Soloway, E. and Clay-Chambers, J. (2008), Standardized test outcomes for students
engaged in inquiry-based science curricula in the context of urban reform. J. Res. Sci. Teach., 45: 922-939. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20248

Swan, M. “Dealing with misconceptions in mathematics “ Ch.10 in: Gates, P. (Ed.). (2001). Issues in Mathematics Teaching (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi-
org.ezproxy-b.deakin.edu.au/10.4324/9780203469934

Wood, D. J. (1988). How Children Think and Learn, Blackwells.

Swan, M. (1983) ‘Teaching decimal place value—a comparative study of “conflict” and “positive only” approaches’, in Proceedings of the 7th Conference of
International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Jerusalem, Israel, pp. 211–16.

Swan, M. (2014). Improving the alignment between values, principles and classroom realities. In Mathematics curriculum in school education (pp. 621-636).
Springer, Dordrecht.

Lehrer, R., Kobiela, M. & Weinberg, P.J. Cultivating inquiry about space in a middle school mathematics classroom. ZDM Mathematics Education 45, 365–
376 (2013). https://doi-org.ezproxy-b.deakin.edu.au/10.1007/s11858-012-0479-x

Hunter, R. (2012). Coming to ‘know’ mathematics through being scaffolded to ‘talk and do’ mathematics. International Journal for Mathematics Teaching and
Learning, 13, 1-12.

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAAª). (2021). Scope and Sequence Charts.
https://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/mathematics/introduction/scope-and-sequence
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAAᴮ). (2021). Learning In Mathematics.
https://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/mathematics/introduction/learning-in-mathematics

Lundberg, C. (2016). Can We Use a Mirror to Find Height?. The Mathematics Teacher, 110(5), 400-402.

Swan, M. (2005). Improving learning in mathematics: Challenges and strategies. Department for Education and Skills Standards Unit.

Appendix:

Edited version of Lundberg Task [My additions in RED]

M
y favorite lesson is based on a problem my geometry students encounter. When we study

similar triangles, students use indirect measurement to determine the height of an object.

A. We first study a picture similar to the image in figure 1. I ask students to explain how we could estimate the height of the flagpole. Some guess that

ACB ≅ ECD. Why is that? Askstudents to stop & reflect & invite them to offer their thoughts & reasonings in class. Then, to make notes
which they will submit, along with their assessment

B. We connect with the physics curriculum and the law of reflection: A light ray reflects off a mirror in an angle equal in measure to the angle measure of the incoming
light ray. Ask students to think of any other area where this may be true or similar. Eg; bouncing balls, when you look at
someone else in the eye in a mirror are they also able to look you in the eye? I encourage students to reflect & share their
thoughts in class. Challenge the students to prove what they claim is correct. How could we prove it in a mathematical way?
Encourage students to hypothesise, postulating what they believe will happen & how they could prove it. Suggest to the
 class, 2 practical tasks we could do in the next class in small groups [3-4 students]; videoing [using student phones] a ball
being bounced from 1 student to another, and shining a laser pointer on an angle into a mirror & testing how the angle is
reflected. Ask what may limit the effectiveness of bouncing ball demonstration [eg; gravity, spin.]Students organise
themselves for the next lesson, summarising their own notes from discussion & listing any equipment they need to bring.
C. Next lesson, students do their experimenting, then, take notes of the results.
D. Upon return to class we look at photos and open up a sharing of results & discussion. Hopefully, with consensus, &
explanation of anomalous results, we agree that light rays do reflect off mirrors in an angle equal to the incoming ray. Ask
students to ponder what would this mean if we drew 2 triangles [small & larger] similar to those in fig.1? [Considering
students have already proved Pythagoras’ theorem, & learnt how to calculate the trigonometric functions; sine, cosine &
tangent.] Pose questions to class [eg; what is length of B-C?, what would angle ABC be?, could we work out the height of
the flagpole in the diagram?]
E. Armed with the law of reflection, students quickly determine two triangles are similar using angle-angle similarity.The similarity result implies that
the corresponding sides of the triangles are proportional. How ?We discuss how the similar-triangle proportionality can be used to indirectly measure the height of
the wall. Again referring to figure 1, students generate the proportion AC/EC = AB/ED.
F. We discuss how this knowledge could be useful in the world at large [eg; checking heights without climbing, ascertaining the
squareness of a wall, etc.] Then, students are asked; how we could test this at school. A flagpole, balcony. What are the
limitations? [Something we can manually measure to check? Flat ground?] Should we measure the person’s height at the
top of their head or their eyeline, and why? Students prepare in their groups for the next class, taking notes of our
discussions, proofs & conclusions & what they are to bring/do next lesson.
G. Now we take a field trip to the school cafeteria to measure the height of the balcony using only tape measures and mirrors. We use balcony height because we can
easily carry out a direct measurement and use it for comparison. Before we leave our classroom, students identify the measurements they will need, including
distance from heel to mirror, distance from mirror to base of wall, and distance from heel to eye.

Students form teams, and I offer a reward to the team whose estimate is closest to the correct measure.

In the cafeteria, students begin to take measurements. I circulate, posing questions about their techniques:

• Does it matter that your tape measure is twisted?

• Should you be hunched over like that?

• How did you determine where to place the tape measure on your mirror?

• How are you measuring your observer’s height?

 H. After they finish measuring and have indirectly measured the balcony height using similar-triangle proportions, we regroup to compare estimates.
Results are compared & we discuss why this may be so. Team estimates always vary greatly, often up to 2 feet.
“Why are your estimates so varied?” I ask, giving teams time to reflect and discuss. They offer reasons for such variability:

• It was hard to know where on the mirror to measure from. (Is the mir- ror too large? Is there ONE point to be used and if so, where is it?)

• Where exactly on our observer’s face should we put the tape measure? At the eye? At the side of the head?

• Should the other end of the tape measure go to the heel, the toe, or the arch of the foot?

These are excellent questions for whole- class discussion, revealing some of the decisions and assumptions that need to be made with indirect measurement.

Fig. 1 Reflection creates similar triangles.

I. After this discussion, we return to the cafeteria. Students remeasure and recalculate. When we reconvene, their balcony-height estimates are closer together—usually
within a 6-in. range— and I reveal the actual balcony height. Many of their indirect measures, however, are still a few inches different from the direct measure. This
bothers students a lot (and it used to bother me). They protest: “But we did the math!” “Don’t similar triangles work?!”
Yes, they work! The similar-triangle proportions are correct. However, when we measure indirectly, we introduce errors that are hard to completely eliminate. This
is a great lesson in real-world application of mathematics that my students always remember.
J. Student’s homework task is set; to produce an individual report on “Can we use a mirror to find height?” Using/reproducing
their notes they can describe the original problem & discussions in class on how to solve it, the investigation of reflective
angles, using these to make similar triangles, & finally the task of measuring using the mirrors. Students will discuss their
own thinking & activity, and that of others in the group and class. They will outline what they enjoyed about the task, what
they found quite challenging & what they felt they learned by completing the activity, not just in the results or relevance of the
task, but how they went about solving it.