Mobius Bands

Greeting math friends and welcome to another fabulous week of MathSux! Today we are going to look at how to make a Mobius Strip otherwise known as “mobius bands.” Whatever you call them, they are a one of a kind shape that leads to all sorts of questions and math exploration. So let’s get to it! Let’s start off by explaining what a mobius strip is:

What are Mobius Bands?

A mobius strip (or band) is a two-dimensional shape that only has one surface.  Invented by German mathematician August Ferdinand Mobius and also independently by Johann Benedict Listing in the 1800s, it is considered a mathematical phenomenon! We are going to create our own mobius strip today to understand why this shape is so fascinating!

*Note: You may also see different spelling of the mobius band: including Möbius or Moebius

How to Make a Mobius Strip:

Mobius Bands

Step 1: First, let’s gather out materials. For this activity we will need a piece of paper, scissors, tape, and a pencil.

Mobius Bands

Step 2: Let’s cut out a rectangle. The size of the one shown above is 11 X 1 inches. Once you have your rectangle, take one end of the rectangle and give it a half twist.

Mobius Bands

Step 3: Now take the half twisted piece and attach it to the other end of the rectangle with a piece of tape. Behold the beauty of our mobius strip!

How to make a mobius strip

Step 4: Now we are going to take a pen or pencil and draw a line going all around the mobius strip without lifting the pen. See if you can move he mobius strip along, while the pencil remains where it is.  Notice anything special happen? We created a line around the entire shape without lifting our pencil!

Real-World Mobius:

Have you been pondering where we can find Mobius bands in the real world? I thought so! Take a look at the list below:

  • Printer ink cartridges
  • Serpentine Belt in a car
  • VHS tapes (if anyone remembers or knows what those are)
  • Can you think of anymore? Let me know in the comments below!

Worksheet:

I also made this FREE worksheet to go along with the above video and lesson for anyone interested. Let me know if this is helpful! 🙂

If you’re looking for more fun math projects, check out my “Just for Fun” page here. And if you want to get to see the latest MathSux content, don’t forget to follow along with us and subscribe via the links below. Thanks so much for stopping by and happy calculating! 🙂

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