The Challenge: Throw some random points (or carefully selected ones!) on a plane. Identify the parts of the plane that are closest to each of those points.
Materials Needed: Paper, ruler, writing utensil.
Math concepts you could explore with this challenge: algebra, arithmetic, geometry, lines, proportions/ratios, slope, tessellations, vertices/intersections.
Given what’s happening in my community right now, I felt it was necessary to highlight some Black brilliance today.
The Challenge: (Re)create a Sona drawing. I did a couple hours of research yesterday (which is totally insufficient to fully understand it), but what I can tell you is that these drawings originate with the Chokwe people in southwestern Africa, specifically Angola and the southern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The drawings are told in conjunction with a story, and the goal of most is to draw them in as unbroken a line. Please check out some of the resources below, and if you have others to add, I’d love to see them and link them here.
Materials Needed: grid, pencil, paper, perhaps graphing software.
Math concepts you could explore with this challenge: angles, counting, geometry, graph theory, proportions/ratios, slope, symmetry, vertices/intersections
The Challenge: Construct a rectangle using a compass.
Materials needed: Compass, straight edge, writing utensil
Math concepts you could explore with this challenge: angles, circles, geometric construction, geometry, lines, polygons, slope, symmetry, vertices/intersections
The Challenge: Drawing only straight lines where all lines must cross all other lines, how many can you draw?
Materials Needed: Paper, pencil, maybe a ruler.
Math concepts you could explore with this challenge: angles, calculus, lines, slope
The Challenge: Draw a polygon. Then mark the midpoint of each side. Connect the midpoints of each side to make a new polygon. Repeat. (Don’t sleep on the quadrilaterals here. They do something rather surprising and beautiful!)
Materials Needed: Paper & pencil or online graphing software like Geogebra or Desmos
Math concepts you could explore with this challenge: angles, fractals, functions, geometry, lines, polygons, proportions/ratios, slope symmetry, vertices/intersections.
arbitrarilyclose 