What Is This Mathematical Magic? Watch As This Woman Makes Almost Any Shape With One Cut
by N/A, 10 years ago |
1 min read
Katie Steckles is a Manchester based mathematician who was recently trying to cut a square out of a piece of paper. Rather than doing what the majority of us would do (cut a freaking square out), she began to wonder what the most efficient process for that would be. This is where her queries lead her.
How would she go about cutting this? She found a method that could have it done in one snip. So, what else?
After wondering if this one snip magic was true for any shape, her friend asked her, and subsequently reminded her, "Isn't that a theorem?" Yes it is, in fact.
It's known as the "Fold-and-Cut Theorem." It first appeared in 1721, and later confirmed by MIT, and states that any shape made of straight lines can be created with one cut.
That is, if you can find the proper way to fold and cut the paper.
So that's the gist of it really, but we're obviously not the experts here. Watch here as Steckles walks you through the entire process.
At the end of the video, give it a try. You'll be cutting out all your favorite shapes (comprised of straight lines, remember) in no time!
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Do not show me this again