Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 299 · 40 questions

Engineer's tip (Triangles stay put): Triangles are rigid; trusses, towers and frames use them. A pin-jointed frame with n sides needs n − 3 corner-to-corner braces; a row of n triangles uses 2n + 1 straws. Arches squeeze (compression); beams span gaps; domes are arches turned round in a circle.

1. 1.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
4. 4.🔺 A flat frame has 12 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
5. 5.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a truss bridge side
6. 6.🔺 A flat frame has 4 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
7. 7.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 4 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
8. 8.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a lintel over a door (c) an old stone bridge (d) an electric pylon
10. 10.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 9 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
11. 11.🔺 A frame shaped like a triangle is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
12. 12.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
14. 14.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a lintel over a door (c) a bicycle frame (d) a roof truss
15. 15.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) add a diagonal brace (c) take off a side (d) make it bigger
16. 16.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a plank over a drain (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a curved stone doorway
17. 17.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a bicycle frame (d) an electric pylon
18. 18.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a crane arm (c) an electric pylon (d) a roof truss
19. 19.🔺 A flat frame has 5 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
20. 20.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
24. 24.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
25. 25.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 15 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
26. 26.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 10 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
27. 27.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
28. 28.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a plank over a drain (c) a round palace roof (d) an electric pylon
29. 29.🔺 A flat frame has 6 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
30. 30.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
32. 32.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a roof truss (c) a slab over a canal (d) an igloo
35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a crane arm (d) a plank over a drain
36. 36.🔺 A flat frame has 11 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
37. 37.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
39. 39.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 2 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?

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