Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors

Trig-Star

The Trig-Star Program is an annual high school mathematics competition sponsored nationally by the National Society of Professional Surveyors based on the practical application of Trigonometry. The program recognizes the best students from high schools throughout the nation.

The purpose of the Trig-Star Program:

to promote the study of trigonometry in high school and excellence in the mastery of trigonometry by honoring the individual student who has demonstrated superior skill among classmates at the high school level;
to acquaint the high school trigonometry student with the use and practical application of trigonometry in the surveying profession; and
to build an awareness of surveying as a profession among mathematically-skilled high school students, career guidance counselors and high school math teachers.

A Land Surveyor gives a presentation to participating students to help them better understand the Land Surveying Profession. The Land Surveyor administers a timed exam to the students. The exam consists of trigonometric problems that incorporate the use of the right triangle formulas, the law of sines, and the law of cosines. The student with the highest score and fastest time will be named the “Trig-Star” for each high school participating in the program. The scores and times of the Trig-Stars are reviewed to determine the State Winner and Runner-up in Indiana. The State Winner will qualify to take the National Exam.

Additional information can be found at the NSPS website or by contacting the ISPLS State Coordinator, Tony Gregory.