Jenna Montalbano

TE804

Analysis of Student Performance

Subject: Geometry
Quiz Topic: Circles (Area, Circumference, Arc Length, and Sector Area)
Date of Quiz: 3/21/16
Grades: Average: B (87%) A- 12
Below D- 2

B- 8

C- 4

D- 3

Students were successful on:

1. Finding the arc length of a sector.
Student 1A:
This student was successful by finding the circumference of the circle
and diving it by 4. The student knew that they could divide the
circumference by 4 because the arc length they are looking for is of
the whole circle. This conclusion could be made because they are
given the 90-degree angle.
Student 1B:
This student was successful by using the arc length formula. The
student could conclude that the central angle of the arc they were
trying to find the length of was 90 degrees by the indicated marking.

Students struggled on this topic:

1. Finding the arc length of a sector given the area.
2. Finding the missing side length in a right triangle using right triangle
trigonometry.
Student 1A:
This student has incorrectly found the central angle. He divided the
total area by the sector area to find the central angle. In reality, this
would give you the number of sectors not the central angle. I can tell
the student believes this answer is the central angle because of his
diagram and how he applies his answer to the next step of the
problem.

Student 1B:
This student substituted the sector area for the arc length in the arc
length formula. Also, the student solved for the central angle and wrote
this as their answer for the arc length. I believe this students
misconception is knowing how and when to use the arc length formula.
Student 1C:
One common error I found was that the students had the correct work,
but they typed it into their calculator wrong giving them the incorrect
answer. For example, they typed 16617.6 / 46pi which would give them
98.68 instead of 9.99. Without the parentheses around the 46pi, the
calculator reads it as (16617.6/46) pi . I already handed the quizzed
back and lost my picture of student work for this specific topic. I
included student work for a similar problem where the student made
this error.
Student 2A:
One common misconception I noticed was students drawing the
diagram incorrectly. For example, this student solved for the vertical
distance from the ground to the Launchpad. Therefore, this student
had a misconception of the context of the problem.
Student 2B:
This student has a clear understating of how to solve for a missing side
in a right triangle, but has a misconception of the angle of elevation.
They wrote the angle of elevation at the top of the triangle when it
should be from horizontal.
Student 2C:
This student has a misconception of when you can use special right
triangle patterns. It appears the student is trying to use the patterns of
a 30-60-90 triangle because he divided the leg with length 400 by 2
and then multiplied that by the square root of 3. These are the patters
we applied to 30-60-90 triangles, but it isnt applicable in this problem.

Follow-up Questions
1) What mathematical strategies and connections would you
suggest to students to help them with the topic they struggled
with?
For the first problem, I would suggest for students to identify
what they know and what you are trying to find. Then, I would suggest
identifying where these values are represented on a circle and think
about how these values will help them. Lastly, I will tell them to
identify the equations that correspond to these values and see if there
is any variables they could solve for that would help them further solve
the problem. In this part I would offer a couple strategies and
connections for student to be successful. First, I would tell them to
remember that the sector area and arc length formulas only vary in
one way. Remember that sector area is talking about area so we use
the area formula and for arc length we are talking about circumference
so we use the circumference of a circle.
For the second problem, I would suggest for students to draw a
triangle first. Next, think about this problem in the real world to set up
your reference triangle. In other words, does it make sense how you
have drawn the triangle? After, I would tell them to think about what
angle they are given. Remember that the angle of elevation is always
inside the triangle and from the horizon. I would tell students to use
the connection of elevation and elevate. You are going up like you
would in an elevator. Lastly, I would tell them to think about SOH-CAHTOA if they have a right angle. So label your sides (hypotenuse,
adjacent, opposite) and then decide which trigonometric ratio to use.
2) What changes need to be made to the assessment? Be specific
and provide justifications for your modifications.
Overall I think the assessment was good. If I were to modify it I
would provide more open-ended questions. I would like to add a real
world problem that left some interpretation for students to incorporate
their opinions into the answer. For example, a problem we looked at
before this quiz gave the students two different mirrors and asked
them to find which mirror had a larger area and which has a larger
perimeter. Then, students were to decide which mirror they would buy
and why. I think a problem similar to this would have been beneficial to
assess the students application to the mathematics.

3) What changes need to be made to the instruction? What aspects

should stay the same? Be specific and provide justifications for
your modifications.
One way I would change my instruction is by making it clearer to
use parentheses when using the calculator. I think this is something
that could even be addressed in the beginning of the year and
sprinkled in along other lessons. One way I could have incorporated
this better to avoid students making the error is by showing them a
worked out problem and solution and asking them to agree or disagree
with the work and answer.
Another change I would make to my instruction is giving the
students more practice finding arc length when given sector area and
vice versa. We did a good activity on this, but I think that some
students still needed more practice. One way I could have incorporated
this is with a pass the problem activity. One of the groups could ve had
a problem where they are given the arc length and need to find the
sector areas, and then other group would have the opposite.