Math 487 Lab 1

Location

Math Sciences Computer Lab, CMU B027 (Communications Building)

Materials needed

1. GASP4: Getting Acquainted with Geometer’s Sketchpad 4, Chapter 1, Sections 1.1 — 1.4. (This link goes to a pdf file that can be read online during lab. They can be printed if you prefer a paper copy.)
2. GTC: Geometry Through the Circle, Sections 3.2 and the first part of 3.3.
3. Berele-Goldman: Chapter 1 shows some basic straightedge and compass constructions.
4. File storage: You will want to save some of your work from the lab. While one option is to bring a diskette to the lab, a better option is to use file transfer to move the files to your "u" student account on Dante. Note the files can be used on Mac or Windows. Just be sure that the file name ends in .gsp.

How to get Started

Log into the PC using user name Lab and leaving the password field blank. The Sketchpad icon is the one with the triangle and circle in the Math Applications folder. Start the GSP (Geometer’s Sketchpad) program

Lab Plan

• Introduction to Geometer's Sketchpad using GASP.

Work through the four Sections 1.1 -- 1.3 of GASP.

• Construction using menus of perpendicular bisectors, etc.

Work through the four Section 1.4 of GASP.

• Constructing triangles from data such as SAS, ASA, SSS.

Follow this link for exploration of triangle congruence.

Create at least some of these figures, but save 40-45 minutes for the last part of the lab. To do this, you may have to be selective. Be sure to go the link at the end of the triangle congruence page.

• Exploring equal distances, circles of equal radius and the perpendicular bisector.

Work through GTC Section 3.2 (saving the Explore More for later) and Investigation 1 of 3.3. Think about the relationship between perpendicular bisectors and distance.

• Construction problem: construct a square.

Draw a segment AB in a blank figure. Then construct points C and D so that ABCD is a square (and remains a square when one drags A or B). If you succeed one way, can you find one or more other ways to carry out the same construction?

Extra: Isosceles Triangles

This link goes to some constructions for isosceles triangles. We will be doing these constructions on paper in class, but if you have time, you can try them with GSP.