Make your own piece of non-Euclidean geometry with this hyperbolic paper craft.
From windows to whiteboards, smartphones to paper, we use flat surfaces every day. Mathematicians use them too – Euclidian geometry is the study of flat shapes, such as those drawn on a piece of paper.
Not all surfaces are flat, however. The surface of a ball is round, and the surface of a foam is wonderfully twisted. Each of these surfaces is curved, and curved surfaces allow for very different shapes. Maths conducted on curved surfaces is known as non-Euclidian geometry.
The surface created in this activity is called hyperbolic. It is a bit like the opposite of a sphere. A sphere is contained – it wraps around on itself. A hyperbolic surface goes on forever, and it gets bigger and more wrinkled the further out you go!
Try another hyperbolic craft activity
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