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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 347 · 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) triangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  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.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a round palace roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a curved stone doorway
  6. 6.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  11. 11.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a roof truss (c) a fort gateway (d) a plank over a drain
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an igloo (c) a fort gateway (d) a round palace roof
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  15. 15.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔺 A frame shaped like a square is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  18. 18.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an igloo (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a slab over a canal
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a round palace roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a bicycle frame
  21. 21.🔺 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
  22. 22.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) an igloo (c) a lintel over a door (d) a round palace roof
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a slab over a canal (c) an electric pylon (d) a shelf on two brackets
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  29. 29.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 1 triangle standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  30. 30.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  31. 31.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  33. 33.🔺 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?
  34. 34.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a slab over a canal (c) a roof truss (d) a fort gateway
  35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a crane arm (c) a fort gateway (d) an old stone bridge
  36. 36.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam

Answer key

  1. triangle
  2. 21
  3. dome
  4. 1
  5. a curved stone doorway
  6. False
  7. False
  8. True
  9. 9
  10. triangle
  11. a plank over a drain
  12. 25
  13. a bicycle frame
  14. triangle
  15. False
  16. rigid
  17. arch
  18. an igloo
  19. 29
  20. a round palace roof
  21. rigid
  22. False
  23. wobbly
  24. a roof truss
  25. 7
  26. an electric pylon
  27. 4
  28. wobbly
  29. 3
  30. wobbly
  31. True
  32. 15
  33. 19
  34. a fort gateway
  35. a crane arm
  36. False
  37. True
  38. False
  39. arch
  40. arch

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