*Flexagons
Flex your mathematics by folding this multi-layered card.
BY LAURIE COUGHLIN
Invented by Arthur H. Stone in 1939, flexagons are mathematical, multi-layered objects composed of folded paper strips. They usually take the
form of a square or hexagon, and there are several variations on the type of
flexing and number of faces. When a flexagon is flexed, a new face is revealed.
Flexing is similar to folding, but it’s not a static motion where there is a
beginning and ending point; it’s a fluid and continuous forward and backward
motion. For our project, we’re going to create a standard square flexagon,
known as a tetraflexagon, which will reveal 2 new faces.
YOU WILL NEED: Scissors, glue stick, this magazine (or paper and a printer)
TO MAKE THE FLEXAGON
1. First, cut out both of the L-shaped strips on the opposite page. Note that they’re double-sided.
(If you’d rather not chop up your magazine, you can go to
craftzine.com/05/flexagon and print the
same images from there, then glue the sides together, back to back, to match the magazine.)
2. Next, lay them horizontally, so that the tallest side is on your left. (The text on side B- 1 will be upside down.)
3. Starting from the left, fold over to the right. Repeat.
4. Repeat Step 3 with second strip.
5. Add glue to gray A- 1
and B- 1 tabs.
6. Line up tabs A- 1 with A- 2
and tabs B- 1 and B- 2. Press
firmly on each square. Wait 2
minutes before attempting to
flex your flexagon.
