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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 32 · 40 questions
TalentJR

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.

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

Answer key

  1. triangle
  2. 9
  3. wobbly
  4. 1
  5. 5
  6. wobbly
  7. 29
  8. 19
  9. True
  10. False
  11. False
  12. triangle
  13. True
  14. beam
  15. triangle
  16. 7
  17. rigid
  18. 25
  19. triangle
  20. a planetarium roof
  21. rigid
  22. arch
  23. a shelf on two brackets
  24. 4
  25. True
  26. triangle
  27. False
  28. True
  29. dome
  30. a fort gateway
  31. a crane arm
  32. 21
  33. it works in compression
  34. a roof truss
  35. 23
  36. a round palace roof
  37. rigid
  38. 13
  39. dome
  40. beam

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