Running Head: UNIT LESSON PLANS 1

Lesson Plan: The Distance Formula and Equation of a Circle

Topic: Developing the equation of a Circle

Course: Accelerated Geometry B and Algebra II
Date: March 15, 2017
Class Length: 90 Minutes
Number of Students: 22
Source of Task: Modified from C. Sarver at NOHS (Sarver, 2015)

Goals & Objectives:

Students will develop and explain formulas related to circles.
Students will model situations such that geometric shapes can be described by equations.

Standards: (Georgia Department of Education, 2016)

MGSE9-12.G.GPE.1 Derive the equation of a circle of given center and radius using the
Pythagorean Theorem; complete the square to find the center and radius of a circle given
by an equation.
Logistics:
Materials:
Worksheet
Graphing Calculator
Personal Whiteboards, markers, erasers
Digital Worksheet in .pdf format
Teachers iPad and stylus, Projector with reflected iPad

Grouping:
Students will work in groups of 3-4 students.
Select groups strategically based on mixed abilities

Vocabulary:
Distance, Side Length, Expression, Equation
Circle, Center, Radius, Diameter

Previous Knowledge:
Properties of right triangles, distance formula
Basic understanding of Pythagorean theorem

Timing:
Launch (5 Minutes)
Task (40 Minutes)
Equations of a Circle Worksheet (35 Minutes)
Homework (5 Minutes)
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Implementation:
Teacher Roles:
o I will complete the introduction, and pass out the Distance Formula and the
Equation of a Circle worksheet. As students work on Question 1, Myself, Ms.
Ceci, and Ms. Sarver will monitor the different groups while answering questions
and clearing up misconceptions when necessary. While monitoring, all three
instructors will look for solutions which are appropriate for class discussion based
on the discussion points for question 1. I will lead the discussion for question 1,
and will ask the students to work on question 2 when all questions are attended to.
While student work on question 2, all three instructors will again monitor in order
to resolve confusion, and recognize groups and individuals with productive
processes and responses according to the discussion points. Ms. Ceci will lead
discussion about question 2, and make sure to address the formula for the houses
on the boundary if the students created only distances of any house. After
concluding the discussion, Ms. Ceci will begin the transition and pass out the
Equation of a Circle worksheet. I will then conclude the transition, by leading
students to discuss and define as a group the concepts involving the equation of a
circle. After giving the students 5 minutes to work and all three teachers
monitoring, I will lead the discussion about question 1 through 3. After
discussion, I will ask the students to work on questions 4-8, for which Ms. Ceci
will lead the discussion. After attending to questions and misconceptions, Ms.
Ceci will ask the students to complete Questions 9-11 for homework, and that
theyll only have about 5 minutes tomorrow to discuss, before we begin looking at
other methods of modeling situations to understand geometric concepts.
Introduction:
o Whats most to you when deciphering cell phone reception?
Carrier, Number of Bars, Type of Phone
o What quantity can we use to determine which reception is better?
, Signal Strength, Distance from Cell tower
o Display Cell Phone tower picture.

Transition: Pass out Distance Formula and the Equation of a Circle worksheet. Today
were going to being a task to investigate cell phone reception. Please work together with
your group when addressing these problems. Make sure to record your work on the
whiteboards, as we will use those when we have class discussion.
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Task:

o Display context and question 1 using the projector and iPad

o Ask students to work on question one as a group for 20 minutes (set timer via
iPad)

Question 1 (20 minutes)

1. You are considering buying a house that is located at the intersection of D Street and
23rd Avenue. Your cell phone provider is building a cell phone tower at the
intersection of B Street and 20th Avenue. Each street is located one mile apart. If you
are farther than 3.5 miles from the cell tower, you will not have good reception.
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Misconceptions:
o Students may attempt to estimate the distance
o Students may not recognize the right triangle, or use the Pythagorean theorem
o Students may not relate distance of sides as , and .
Questions:
o What quantities can you determine? Is there a geometric shape we can use to
model this situation?
o What are the properties of a right triangle? How can we find the hypotenuse?
o Can we represent distance using coordinates of points?
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Discussion:
o Select one group with an estimate based on measuring, and have them explain
their drawing. Make sure to address their method of determining the distance.
Clear up any misconceptions during discussion.
o Select one group with a right triangle and correct distance, and have them
explain their method. Make sure to address the use of the Pythagorean
theorem. Address misconceptions and minor errors during discussion.
o Select one group who struggled with determining how to use coordinates to
modify the formula for distance from the cell tower. Ask students what they
struggled with, and connect the side lengths of the triangle to distances on a
number line. Clear up any confusion or misconceptions before transitioning
to question 2.
Extension: Think about how you can apply the distance of any house from this cell
14
tower to a geometric figure.
Question 2 (20 minutes) Display questions 2 on projector.
2. Consider a cell phone tower whose location is represented by the point (2, 4) on the
12

coordinate plane and whose radius of cell coverage is 3 miles. Note that every point 3
miles away from the cell tower will be on the boundary of the cell coverage. This will
10

form a circle around the point (2, 4) with a radius of 3 units, as shown in the given
figure.
8

(-2,4)
4

(0,0) Town C enter

-15 -10 -5 5 10 15

-2

-4

-6
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Misconceptions:
o Students may not recognize how to use equation from part 1 a to solve
question 2 a.
o Students may struggle to solve part a algebraically.
o Students may not recognize the formula represented in part b represents any
house on the boundary of the cell tower (circle).
Questions:
o What quantities are given in this situation?
o Can we apply these quantities to the formula in part 1e?
o What quantity is given for any house on the boundary? Can we use this to
change our equation from part 1e?
Discussion:
o Select one group with a correct the correct x value for the location of the point
on the boundary southeast of the cell tower. Make sure to address what
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quantities they used and how they applied them to the previous formula. Clear
up any misconceptions during discussion.
o Select one group with the formula for any houses distance from the cell
tower. Request that they explain their reasoning, and then extend their
solution to include only houses that exist on the boundary of cell reception.
How does this change the formula? Address misconceptions and minor
errors during discussion.
Extension: If we are only interested in houses on the boundary of the cell reception,
what does our equation represent? What types of quantities can we use to determine
these locations?

Transition: Now that we have investigated distance from a point on a coordinate plane, we can
discuss how to represent the boundary of the cell phone tower as the equation of a circle.
Handout The Equation of a Circle Worksheet, and ask students, how can we define a circle
using some geometric properties? Connecting curve, All points are same distance from the
center. Allow whole class discussion, leading the students towards the set of all points that are
a given distance from a point (center). Based on that definition, have we developed a standard
form equation for a circle based on our exploration of the Cell Tower? Allow students to
discuss, and lead to standard form equation of a circle, ( )) + ( )) = ) such that
, = and = . What if we generalized the equation for circles
with which the center lies at the origin? ) + ) = ) , for center at origin. Take the next 5
minutes to work within your groups on problems 1 through 3 on the worksheet.

Questions 1-3 (10 minutes) Display questions on projector.

1. Write the standard form equation of a circle with a radius of 5 and a center (-3, 6).

( + 3)) + ( 6)) = 5)

2. Write the standard form equation of a circle with a radius of 4 3 and a center (2, -5).

( 2)) + ( + 5)) = (4 3)) 4

3. Write the standard form of the circle shown in the graph.

-5 5

= 1,1 , = 4
( + 1)) + ( 1)) = 4)
-2

-4

Misconceptions:
o Students may struggle to recognize the connection between the cell tower
task, and the equation of a circle, thus mistakenly using incorrect quantities.
o Students may not recognize the center of the circle pictured in number 3, or
determine the radius of the circle.
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Questions:
o What quantities are we using in our standard form equation of a circle?
o How can we determine the center and radius from a graph of a circle?
Discussion:
o Select students to provide responses to questions one and two, as explain their
reasoning. Clear up any misconceptions as they become apparent.
o Select a student to explain their response to problem three, including how to
determine the center and radius using the graph. Discuss with students how
they might determine from a graph the radius if it is not an integer.
Extension: What if the radius wasnt an integer? Could you determine the radius
from the graph then? Continue on to the graphing questions.
Questions 4-8 (25 minutes) Display questions four through 8 on projector.
Graph the circle in the coordinate plane provided.
4. (x + 3)2 + (y 2)2 = 16 5. (x 2)2 + (y + 1)2 = 20

Convert the equation to standard form. Then find the center and radius.

6. x2 + y2 8x 10y 4 = 0 7. 4x2 + 4y2 16x + 8y 8 = 0

) 8 + ) 10 = 4 4 ) 16 + 4 ) 8 = 8
) 8 + 16 + ) 10 + 25 = 4 + 16 + 25 ) 4 + ) 2 = 2
) )
( 4) + ( 5) = 45 4 + 4 + ) 2 + 1 = 8 + 4 +
)

1
Center = 4,5 ( 2)) + ( 1)) = 13
Radius = 45 Center = 2,1
Radius = 13
2 2
8. Graph x + y + 4x 6y + 12 = 0 on the coordinate plane provided.

) + 4 + ) 6 = 12
) + 4 + 4 + ) 6 + 9 = 12 + 4 + 9
( + 2)) + ( 3)) = 1
Center = 2,3
Radius = 1
UNIT LESSON PLANS 9

Misconceptions:
o Students may struggle to begin questions 6 and 7 without guidance in
recognizing completing the square.
o Students might have difficulty completing the square without review of the
process.
Questions:
o What are some methods you might use to alter this equation? What would you
do if the only variable was x??
o How would you complete the square if there was no y variable? Can we
apply this method with both variable existing in the equation?
Discussion:
o Select one group who successfully graphs the circles and have them discuss
their method as well as recognizing the center and radius from the equation.
Clear up any misconceptions during discussion.
o Select one group which struggled with completing the square. Have the group
discuss their difficulties and allow other groups to discuss mistakes and
misconceptions with the whole class. Be certain to address completing the
square at an appropriate pace, so that all student mistakes and misconceptions
are alleviated.
o Select one group who successfully graphed number 8, and have them
thoroughly explain their process with mathematical reasoning. Clear up any
misconceptions prior to transitioning to homework.
Extension: In number 8, prior to the completing the square step, was there anything
that concerned you about the given equation? Can we have a negative radius? What
is the circumference of the circle in number 6?

Transition: Now that we have model a real world application in order to develop the
equation of a circle, as well as investigated completing the square so that we can find the
standard form and graph the circle, Id like you to work on problems 9-11 for homework
tonight. Tomorrow we will spend 5 minutes discussing the homework, and then move on
to modeling other situations to solve problems with geometric concepts.

Accommodations

o Students will have a hard copy of the worksheet as well as the task displayed on
the projector via the iPad in order to accommodate visual needs. Students who
struggle to see will also be placed to the front of the classroom.
o Students work in groups so that they are able to talk with their group members
about solutions and solution methods rather than waiting on the teacher and whole
class discussion.
UNIT LESSON PLANS 10

o Grouping will be done with mixed abilities, including carefully placing students
together who may benefit from each others interaction, as well as avoid
distractions of students who dont engage in tasks well together.
o Student will be allowed to explore the task and worksheet using a graphing
calculator, but it will be expressed that they will not need them to be successful
with the concepts.
UNIT LESSON PLANS 11

Documents:

Cell Phone Tower and Street Map

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The Distance Formula and the Equation of a Circle (Sarver, 2015)

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Equation of a Circle Worksheet: (Sarver, 2015)

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