Geometry is the study of how to use math to describe and investigate different points, lines and shapes. A very basic three-dimensional shape is the rectangular prism. A rectangular prism is a shape like a box or a book. It has six different sides, and if all six sides are the same, then it is called a cube. A cube is the same shape as a die (i.e. one of a pair of dice), where each side is a perfect square. Cubes and rectangular prisms can be measured with the same geometrical formulas
A formula is the way a shape is described in geometry. A formula is simply a mathematical way to calculate different properties of a shape: size, area or volume. Volume is a unique property of three-dimensional shapes because three-dimensional shapes take up space in three different directions: length, width and height.
In this experiment we will use Play-Doh to make a model of a rectangular prism. You will measure the three dimensions (length, width and height) and use a formula to calculate the volume. You will use a rolling pin to change one dimension (height) and see what effect this had on the other two dimensions. By changing the dimensions. of the rectangular prism, you will test the relationship between the dimensions of a three-dimensional object at a constant volume.
In this project we were trying to find how the dimensions of a rectangular prism change with respect to each other. We predicted that the dimensions of the rectangular prism would change once we started to change the length of one of the sides, and we were right! We started to see the change in the volume and dimensions once we started to change the length of one of the sides.
We decided to do this project because it has a lot to do with geometry (which is the class we’ve been taking all year) and because it seemed like a fun project to work on.
In this project we had to follow a procedure which was:
1. First, you will need to buy Play-Doh or make some salt dough.
2. Use a chunk of dough about as large as your fist. The amount of dough is going to be a constant (meaning that it will not change) so do not add to or take away from your chunk of dough once you have started your experiment.
3. Make your dough into a cube shape, approximately square on all sides.
4. Using the 3 colors of permanent markers, color along the 3 edges that come out from one of the corners. Mark one edge in red, one edge in green and one edge in blue. These three edges will represent the three dimensions of your cube (length in red, width in green and height in blue).
5. Place your dough on the graph paper and measure all 3 dimensions (length in red, width in green and height in blue) by tracing them on the graph paper with the matching colored marker. Write down the words "Trial #1" on the top of the sheet of graph paper.
6. After you have measured the 3 dimensions, you are ready to change the shape of your dough.
7. Put the dough cube on a flat surface with the green and red sides (length and width) on the surface and the blue side (height) pointing up.
8. Use your rolling pin to flatten the cube a little bit by rolling on the top of the cube. Keep the corners square as you go by patting in from the sides with