ten little fingers - arvind gupta (4 mb pdf)

1. These matchstick models usematchsticks as the basic structuralmembers and cycle valve tubes asthe basic joints. Cycle valve tube ischeap. A packet of 100 gms. costsRs.15/- and contains 12 metres (50feet) of valve tube.MATCHSTICK MODELScycle valve tube2. Cut 1.5 cms.long pieces of thevalve tube.Scrape thesulphur from thematchstick headswith a blade.3. Push two matchsticks through the two endsof the valve tube. This is a joint -of - two.4. This flexible joint can be usedfor depicting angles - acute,right, obtuse angles etc.5. Three match- sticks and three valvetubes can be looped to make an equilateraltriangle.6. Other shapes like squares, rectangles, pentagons, hexagons canbe made by joining more matchsticks and valve tube pieces.7. If you press thepentagon it changesshape and becomesboat shaped.8. The square whenpressed becomes arhombus.9. But no matter howhard you press, atriangle remains atriangle. The triangle isthe only rigid polygon.That is why rooftrusses, bridges,electricity towers aremade of triangles. Thetriangles make themrigid and strong.