Geometry (2D & 3D shapes): Megan's Snowflake
The Problem
In the film clip, we were told that all snowflakes have a six-fold symmetry. In other words, they have six lines of symmetry. Fascinated by this mathematical fact, a girl called Megan decided to make a snowflake from paper. The first snowflake that she made had four lines of symmetry.
She made her snowflake by folding a piece of A4 paper in half and then half again:
Once she had done this, she folded it one more time like this:
Finally, she made some cuts and it looked like this:
Can you visualise in your head what you think Megan’s snowflake looked like when it was opened out?
Can you draw what you think Megan’s snowflake looked like when it was opened out?
Did you Know?
Humans aren’t the only creatures who enjoy playing with snow. In Japan, macaques (or ‘snow monkeys’) love making snowballs!
Visualising the Problem and Getting Started
We know that Megan’s snowflake had four lines of symmetry. The first paper snowflake that appeared on the previous screen also had four lines of symmetry. Here it is again, showing its four lines of symmetry:
Although it’s not Megan’s snowflake, it may provide you with some clues when you attempt to draw her snowflake.
You can find the solution to this problem here: Megan’s-snowflake-answer