My UDC

 

Hello & welcome to my scimatics blog post about the Ultimate Design Challenge. Throughout this post I will talk about:

  •  the project
  • the competencies
  • my project
  • my conclusion

 

The project

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Driving question: how can we maximize the surface area or volume of an object

 

We had to design a 3D model for maximum surface area or volume. Whilst we built the model, we also learnt about volume and surface area through a virtual textbook. One of the criteria of the 3D model was that it was made using basic shapes. That meant no Tauruses or icosahedrons, because their formulas for calculating surface area or volume are very long and complicated. Another criteria was that the project needed a minimum of 10 shapes to make the model. To clarify, it didn’t have to be different kinds of shapes, it just had to be shapes. You could have a shape made of 10 rectangular prisms and it would meet the criteria. I don’t know how many shapes I used, but I do know I made 232 measurements, so I believe the number is above 10.

 

The competencies

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competency: applying & innovating

  •  Applying and innovating: contribute to care for self, others and the community and world through personal or collaborative approches.
  • My description: showing care for people, being a trustworthy and respectful student, not being a distraction and using learning time efficiently.

How did I show this competency? I definitely feel like my showing and understanding of this competency throughout the project. In the beginning of the project I was having loud discussions during class and not being productive. By the end of it I was the opposite. I was quiet, I was trying to prevent tangents from happening, and I feel like I deserve the mark I got in that competency, which is proficient.

 

competency: reasoning and analyzing

  • Reasoning and analyzing: model mathematics in contextual experiences.
  • My description: knowing how and when to execute the proper mathematical calculations.

How did I show this competency? I was definitely confused by the calculations at the beginning, but after asking questions, a problem I have struggled with for a long time, I was able to figure it out in a way that made sense to me. For a couple equations (such as 2piR^2 + 2piRH^2) I had to write down the steps to be able to completely understand the equation which I think also shows a certain level of dedication and interest.

 

Competency: communicating & representing

  • Communicating and representing: explain and justify mathematical ideas and decisions.
  • My description: showing that you understand what you are doing and why you thought this was the right thing to do.

How did I show this competency? Well, to start off I did every calculation by using a calculator, not a website that tells you the answers. I deliberately showed that I could understand the concept of these equations and how they worked. I also showed that I understood how these equations worked when I started adding in negative volume/surface area to my equations, I showed I not only new how calculate my equations but I showed a deeper knowledge by being able to modify them to suite my situation.

My project

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My 3D design was an A.P.C, or Armoured Personnel Carrier, which is a type of tank. I designed the A.P.C for maximum volume. The reason why I did that was because an 11 person carrier should have a lot of volume. According this link, the scientific definition of volume is : “Volume is the quantity of three-dimensional space occupied by a liquid, solid, or gas. Common units used to express volume include liters, cubic meters, gallons, milliliters, teaspoons, and ounces, though many other units exist.” I designed this 3D model using 3DC.io and made it up of rectangular prism, triangular prisms and cylinders.

 

My conclusion
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My conclusion to my design (attempting to design for max volume)

– my surface area to volume ratio is 1.25:1 which means that I did not succeed in my project. Where I went wrong is when I used a lot of long thin shapes, which have much more surface area then volume.

my conclusion to the driving question

– by using the right shapes. Ex: if you wanted to design a model for maximum surface area, I would recommend long and thin shapes. The use of appropriate shapes when attempting to design something for max sa/v is crutial.