Spheres, cylinders and cones

  • Ball Packing
    problem

    Ball Packing

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star filled star

    If a ball is rolled into the corner of a room how far is its centre from the corner?

  • Packing 3D shapes
    problem

    Packing 3D Shapes

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star filled star

    What 3D shapes occur in nature. How efficiently can you pack these shapes together?

  • 2D-3D
    problem

    2D-3D

    Age
    16 to 18
    Challenge level
    filled star empty star empty star

    Two circles of equal size intersect and the centre of each circle is on the circumference of the other. What is the area of the intersection? Now imagine that the diagram represents two spheres of equal volume with the centre of each sphere on the surface of the other. What is the volume of intersection?

  • Pack Man
    problem

    Pack Man

    Age
    16 to 18
    Challenge level
    filled star empty star empty star

    A look at different crystal lattice structures, and how they relate to structural properties

  • The Dodecahedron Explained
    article

    The Dodecahedron Explained

    What is the shortest distance through the middle of a dodecahedron between the centres of two opposite faces?
  • Conic Sections
    article

    Conic Sections

    The interplay between the two and three dimensional Euclidean geometry of conic sections is explored in this article. Suitable for students from 16+, teachers and parents.
  • Curvature of Surfaces
    article

    Curvature of Surfaces

    How do we measure curvature? Find out about curvature on soccer and rugby balls and on surfaces of negative curvature like banana skins.
  • Volume of a Pyramid and a Cone
    article

    Volume of a Pyramid and a Cone

    These formulae are often quoted, but rarely proved. In this article, we derive the formulae for the volumes of a square-based pyramid and a cone, using relatively simple mathematical concepts.

  • Paint rollers for frieze patterns.
    article

    Paint Rollers for Frieze Patterns

    Proofs that there are only seven frieze patterns involve complicated group theory. The symmetries of a cylinder provide an easier approach.