Build Your Own Trigonometric Adventure in Virtual Reality

Abstract

Trigonometry is important to a diverse set of fields. However, it is often a difficult topic for students to learn. This is most commonly due to a difficulty of visualizing the concepts and understanding how they are related. Currently, there are not many widespread tools that encourage the exploration and physical interaction of trigonometry. Build Your Own Trigonometric Adventure (BYOTA) aims to help students gain a better understanding of trigonometric concepts by using them to manipulate terrain geometry in a virtual reality experience. Users can build the terrain around them by modeling a trigonometric equation, view their rotations in multiple unit circle modes, and view the equations that were used to create the specific hills and valleys. They can also directly manipulate the virtual world using World-in-Miniature (WIM), which allows them to customize the terrain and place objects in the environment using a handheld 3D map. BYOTA’s objective is to enhance comprehension and encourage playful exploration of trigonometry in virtual reality, offering a concrete way to engage students with abstract mathematical concepts that they often struggle to learn.