Lesson Plan

Graphing the Tangent Function

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Help learners discover the unique characteristics of the tangent function. Working in teams, pupils create tables of values for different intervals of the tangent function. Through teamwork, they discover the periodicity, frequency, and characteristics of the graph. 

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CCSS: Designed
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
  • Ask learners to use the unit circle to graph several periods of the tangent function 
Classroom Considerations
  • Pupils need graph paper, markers, and a scientific calculator to complete the activity
  • Assumes an understanding of the unit circle and graphs of the sine and cosine functions
Pros
  • Makes a connection between the graph and trigonometric identities
  • Practice problems include different transformations of the tangent function
Cons
  • None
Common Core