Geometry: New Tools for New Technologies: Hour 2: Unit 4: The Right Stuff: Space Optimization

How is geometry used to program a robot's movement? How do zoo planners use geometry to make habitats that are enjoyable and safe? Why do people who plan garbage pickups and snowplow routes need geometry? Geometry: New Tools for New Technologies I and II explore the exciting world of Geometry in the 20th century.

The six shows in this video series demonstrate contemporary geometry in action. In the videos, your students learn about applications to architecture, archaeology, DNA research, packaging design, fire station location, scheduling events, and others. The accompanying print materials give your students the opportunity to take part in the mathematical modeling of these situations. The videos range in length from about 8 minutes to about 11.5 minutes. The print materials for each video include a video viewing guide, a set of discussion questions, and one or two sets of exercises.

Unit 4: The Right Stuff: Space Optimization (7:59)

Summary of the Video

The video begins with a silent segment that depicts three students packing a van as they head off to college. Next, Steve Henegar discusses the importance of managing space well when you are in the moving business. Graphics are used to assist Steve's explanation of the design of cartons used by movers. Craig Allgaier goes inside the trailer of a moving van to show how the cartons and other objects are efficiently packed into a van. Steve Henegar then explains that deregulation of the moving industry has produced new sizes of moving vans, resulting in the need for redesign of cartons used in tl1e industry. Finally, a return to the college students shows that they have applied good packaging principles to achieve greater success.

Following the video, students both develop a definition of efficient packaging that is based on the percentage of space used and consider an alternate definition based on the cost of packaging material. Then students attempt to find an efficient package to hold circular objects such as soda cans. Shapes considered include a novel triangular package.

Video support materials are available as part of COMAP full membership. Each video is accompanied by a user's guide with reproducible student exercises and quizzes.