| "CONIC SECTIONS" Math Manipulatives Teaching Tool Description:
Four cones cut in four different ways show how a circle, ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola are formed!
A great way to use tactile and visual learning experiences to teach these shapes!
Four reproducible worksheets cover the various properties of the conic sections. Properties include their descriptions using Cartesian and polar coordinates, their foci, and their eccentricity.
Cones measure 2¾" across the base and 4" in height.
Product Specifications:
Grades: 7-12
Product Size: 6.5" x 4.5" x 3"
Product Weight: 0.25 lbs
Product Contents:
4 Cones, 8 Conic Pieces, made from soft, durable, and nontoxic foam.
Instruction Manual
Product Warnings & Safety Information:
WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD - SMALL PARTS. This game contains small pieces and is not suitable for children under 3 years of age.
A NOTE FROM LAURI:
Conic Section Definitions. If you want a quick reminder of some geometry definitions associated with conic sections, try these:
Cartesian coordinates - a system that allows geometric shapes to be described by algebraic equations. For example, a circle of radius 2 may be described by the equation x² + y² = 4.
Polar coordinates - a system where a geometric shape is described by angles and distances, using trigonometry functions.
Foci - these are a pair of special points used in describing conic sections. There are two defining properties: how they fall on an axis of symmetry, and their eccentricity.
Eccentricity - a measure of how a conic shape differs (or deviates) from being a circle.
What does this mean? From a mathematical view, because cones are 3D and conic sections are 2D curved "slices" of 3D cones, more advanced math, such as described by these definitions, are needed to precisely describe their curved shape and mathematical properties. (Math is all about precision!) However, these curved shapes are often taught with 2D curves, graphs, pictures, equations, and the theory behind them, on a white board.
These tactile, visual CONIC SECTIONS manipulatives are a great learning and teaching tool to help kids understand 3D cones and conic sections. Kids learn better from being able to touch and to visually see in 3D! These conic sections manipulatives help kids visualize the how conic sections come from 3D cone shapes and the math theory they are learning by looking at these 3D shapes. |
