Miriam Lees, a former engineer turned maths teacher, head teacher and now an educational consultant with the Mathematical Association of NSW, Australia, sheds light on one of her favourite topics: trigonometry. Typically introduced in Years 9 and 10 in NSW schools, this subject builds upon the foundation of Pythagoras' Theorem, taught around Year 8. Miriam believes trigonometry can be easy to grasp when taught step-by-step. However, she emphasises the importance of providing a broader context to prevent students from viewing it as a mere 'black box' of formulas. By revealing the trigonometric ratios as shortcuts derived from similar triangles, she helps students see the underlying logic and appreciatethe elegance of the subject.

Links:

MathematicsNSW – MANSW

https://www.mansw.nsw.edu.au/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/miriam-lees-52a956154/?originalSubdomain=au