ERIC Number: EJ1295197
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Apr
Pages: 8
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0025-5769
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
A Gift Box Filled with Mathematics
Wares, Arsalan
Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK-12, v114 n4 p318-324 Apr 2021
Many mathematics teachers and students are familiar with the typical "box problem." In this type of problem, one takes a rectangular (or a square) sheet of paper and cuts out four squares from the four corners of the sheet and then folds the four strips up to form a box. Math problems like this are seen in middle school, high school, college algebra, and calculus texts. The only problem with those problems is that they are impractical and contrived; people do not really make boxes like that (Dundas 1984). Boxes made like that probably will not hold anything even if the edges were taped, not to mention the fact that these taped boxes will not be very aesthetically pleasing. Origami is an old Japanese art form of folding square sheets of paper into three-dimensional sculptures. Cutting, gluing, or use of a ruler is not allowed in traditional origami. Origami can be used in the classroom to make mathematics more hands-on (NCTM 2000). Origami provides a refreshing context for conceptual understanding of complex mathematical ideas (Wares 2014, 2020). In this article looks at a simple origami box that can be made from regular printing paper (8 1/2 in. × 11 in.). The origami box made here can be used as a reusable gift box or a reliable storage box to organize drawers. The box can be used for storing paper clips, push pins, and other small stationery items; as a gift box, it can hold several fun-size individually wrapped candy bars. In the context of the construction of the box, students explore problems that emerge at the nexus of algebra, geometry, and calculus.
Descriptors: Mathematics Instruction, Teaching Methods, Manipulative Materials, Mathematical Concepts, Concept Formation, College Mathematics, Measurement, Geometry, Algebra, Calculus
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. 1906 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191. Tel: 800-235-7566; Tel: 703-620-9840; Fax: 703-476-2570; e-mail: nctm@nctm.org; Web site: https://pubs.nctm.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A

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