Hands-on Activity
Students will work with a partner and each share two containers. They will to measure the dimensions of two products and use them to find the minimum possible surface area of the shape, given its volume stays the same. They will then build containers using construction paper that model these minimum dimensions. Last, they will compare the actual container to the optimized container and determine the percent wasted packaging in the original container.
Supplies
Two (2) regularly shaped products (cereal box, shoe box, soup can, etc.)
Centimeter ruler
String (If one product is a soup can)
Scissors
Construction paper
Tape
Centimeter ruler
String (If one product is a soup can)
Scissors
Construction paper
Tape