patrick honner

Application Geometry Technology

Folding Steel

This is an amazing application of origami: a steel grocery bag that can fold flat!

http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/03/paper-plastic-or-steel.html

Although you probably wouldn’t want to carry these to the store with you, this result could have real applications in industrial packaging. In addition, it’s another step towards the mathematical-origamist’s dream: designing building that can rearrange and rebuild itself as needed!

A great talk by Erik Demaine on mathematical origami opened my eyes have this amazing application of mathematics, and my students and I have been having a lot of fun with folding ever since!

By patrick honner, 13 years6 years ago

Challenge NYT

Math Quiz: NYT Learning Network

Through Math for America, I am part of an on-going collaboration with the New York Times Learning Network. My latest contribution, a Test Yourself quiz-question, can be found here:

https://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/23/test-yourself-math-jan-23-2012/

This question is related to a publicly-funded program that trains private-sector employees in North Carolina. Just how much does this program cost the government?

By patrick honner, 13 years6 years ago

Challenge Numbers

01/22/2012 — Happy Permutation Day!

Today we celebrate our first Permutation Day of the new year! I call days like today permutation days because the digits of the day and month can be rearranged to form the year.

We enjoyed several Permutation Days in 2011. In addition to predicting future dates, an interesting question would be “Which year has the most Permutation Days?”

In honor of today, I recommend changing the order in which you do things!

By patrick honner, 13 years4 years ago

Appreciation Photography

Math Photo: Parabolic Fountains

Parabolas and fountains definitely seem to go together.

And check out these water parabolas at the Detroit Airport!

By patrick honner, 13 years4 years ago

Challenge

Friday Quiz

This is a short and engaging little vocabulary quiz from www.sporcle.com titled “F in Math”.

http://www.sporcle.com/games/puckett86/dont_fail

To paraphrase Alex Trebek: all the answers in this quiz begin with the letter F.

If you don’t get a 100, don’t feel bad; one of these answers is a bit obscure. I got it right, but only because a student recently explained that particular concept with me . I didn’t really understand, but at least I remembered the word!

By patrick honner, 13 years9 years ago