I learned about these on a video on Numberphile. . In the video they said the magic words “no longer available” and that was it, we had to make our own. Josephine Sheng designed these way back in 2017 I think, and we just never posted. We don’t like “tricking” people, but if you have a good half hour you can
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We’ve sent materials to or provided activities at the LA Public Library, Killeen Public Library, Buda Public Library, Santa Fe Public Library, Austin Central Library and most recently the Orange Public Library and we are going to do more. Libraries are great because they are free, open and available to learners of all ages in the community, and you can
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This is a transformer puzzle. The template has one side set up as a hexagon and the other side a square, but the hexagon design can still be rearranged as a square as well. Maddie Wallace made this logo for University of Wisconsin by hand. Be sure to use the link to get the PDF file. Transformer Puzzle Square to
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These are really fun! This design could possibly be improved but it does work pretty well. The newest version files are here in AI, SVG and Corel formats. It’s a pretty simple design. Here are the parts. Basically a larger square overhangs the smaller creating a channel with partial cover that the little “cars” can slide in, but not pop
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The Reuleaux Car The pieces are below, and an AI, SVG, and Corel File are available here. The file has a laser etch on the big wheel to guide the placement of the smaller piece. Glue two small pieces to one side and two large ones on the other side. The wheel holders work by sliding so you can install
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This one is easy fun and somehow a little bit magical. Makes a great little math gift. The challenge is to make rectangles with pieces #1-5, #1-6, #1-7, and #1-8 (as below) Details, Instructions and Template Here. Here are the “versions” in a short video. These pieces are made in relation to eachother so there are many versions
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Teachers enjoy models and making and they take that enthusiasm and activity back to their students. Hosted by Professor Jennifer Austin of University of Texas at Austin, this was a particularly fun meeting. We discussed how we make these models – see MAA Horizon Do the Math Article , tried using paper templates and slicing into playdoh. See Take and
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Turns out you can use CorelDraw to reverse engineer the parts to a conic section model. Read all about it in the November 2021 MAA Math Horizons page called Do The Math (p. 29). Editor Tom Edgar was fun to work with, and made the graphic images. Note: if you are “making” this model from scratch, once you find the
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Why does this project NEVER turn out? It happens that we have been missing a critical fact. The arm of the linkage is NOT the same length as the radius (k) of the larger reference circle used for the inversion even though we wanted it to be. The workshop is littered with failed tries. The arm length and the sides
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We had a few slides to introduce MathHappens to the group and then dove right in to a hot topic, redistricting or Gerrymandering. We just had the proposed new Texas map released, but none of the negotiated changes that came the next day on the 14th, so there were real examples of all 4 types of Gerrymandering which are cracking,
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