Can-struction
Just before Thanksgiving there is an annual demonstration in New York City. Canstruction is a celebration of interesting design, difficult engineering, and donating a great amount of time, talent and food to hungry in New York. At the end of the exhibit, all the amazing creations are dismantled and the construction materials, thousands of cans of food, are given directly to soup kitchens, food banks, shelters and senior homes citywide. Canstruction, Inc. now has events in over 200 cities worldwide. Below is a picture of an exhibit called “Downside Up” which was the winning exhibit from Canstruction, 2010, in New York City.
Diagnostic and Discussion
1. What are you wondering about the structure?
2. How many cans are required to make this structure? Show your thinking and how you found your solution.
Extension
3. While finding the total number of cans what mathematical patterns or relationships did you notice or discover?
4. How many cans do you need to add additional rows on top of this exhibit, while continuing the same pattern? Can you find a way of determining the number of cans needed for any row?
2. How many cans are required to make this structure? Show your thinking and how you found your solution.
Extension
3. While finding the total number of cans what mathematical patterns or relationships did you notice or discover?
4. How many cans do you need to add additional rows on top of this exhibit, while continuing the same pattern? Can you find a way of determining the number of cans needed for any row?