I have never made a math-art project before. I didn't know what to expect. For me, mathematics throughout secondary school and university was about abstract concepts and theories. So one can well imagine the benefit I gained from actually doing a hands-on math project.
First of all, there was the social dimension of the project. Working in groups was fun, and was conducive to making new friends. I think that in high school, doing a project like this (especially in earlier years when kids still don't know one another too well) would be very useful in building bonds and relationships between students, helping them to make friends. Mathematics doesn't just have to be about formulae, it can also be fun.
As far as the hyperboloid structure is concerned, I learned a lot about mathematics. I learned that a hyperboloid can be made out of straight lines, that these lines are parallel to one another, and that a line only intersects any other line (if they are not parallel) in one place. I learned that one can take a two-dimensional lattice of skewers, and shape it in three-dimensions to form a hyperboloid. The concept of a hyperboloid is therefore more comprehensible and is not outside my ability to understand.
I think that such a project can make certain areas of mathematics more comprehensible for students who have never though of mathematics outside the realm of paper and pencil.
Excellent!
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