By George Hart for the Museum of Mathematics The rise of personal rapid prototyping machines, such as the Makerbot, RepRap, or Fab@Home, allows one to make a variety of geometric models. Polyhedral models, such as this 5 cm ABS dodecahedron, are fairly straightforward. Next is an 8cm model of a hyperboloid of one sheet, showing […]
Use a scroll saw to make a family of complex, cube-based fractals.
By George Hart for the Museum of Mathematics Temari balls are a traditional Japanese craft in which colored thread is applied to a sphere in a geometric pattern. This is a modern example, given to me by the Japanese master Kiyoko Urata. There has been a repopularization of temari recently by people such as Carolyn […]
In looking at the best of what Make: Online had to offer in 2010, George Hart’s wonderful “Math Monday” columns immediately sprung to mind. Each week, George does a fantastic job of covering the wonders of mathematics through a series of crafty projects. It’s math and science meets arts, crafts, and various forms of making […]
By George Hart for the Museum of Mathematics Back in June, I posted about mathematical objects made on a lathe. Here are two more difficult examples, both by Claude Lethiecq, a wood turner working near Montreal. I have examined these in person and they are truly masterpieces of technique. This first object consists of twelve […]
Mathematicians often make theorems and proofs with just a pencil and paper (and some logical thinking). Another mathy thing that anyone can make with pencil and paper is a doodle. Vi Hart shows how in a series of high-speed videos on her website. Want more? Try this one: What mathy doodles can you make? More: […]
By George Hart for the Museum of Mathematics Save your egg cartons and see what recycled art you can make with them! You can cut the bottoms of egg cartons into strips of six “waffle holes” which then interlock, without glue, into interesting structures. The basic joint of four spiraling strips is seen below. The […]
