Victoria Caton 98 Standard Math Mr Hanif Semester 2

Measurement & Trigonometry Investigation Volume vs. Depth

Part 1: Gathering Data (Part of Criterion C)
The context for this investigation was to imagine that students were a manufacturer for chocolate. These chocolates were to be packaged in an open-top tray, made out of rectangular sheets (A4 size paper). In this scenario these sheets are very expensive, and there is only one size. Therefor, the manufacturer would want to ensure that each tray has the biggest volume possible, so they can fit the maximum amount of chocolates into it. This would have been important because the more sheets that are needed, the more expensive the chocolates would have to be as the buyer is not only paying for the food itself, but the packaging etc. In todays market, where consumers are much more conscientious about buying expensive items, when there is a cheaper option; the volume of the tray would affect the sell-ability of the product. This meant that students were asked to evaluate how changing the depth of a tray would affect its volume. To find this out, we were tasked to create 12 trays using A4 paper. As well as this, it was also important to find other factors out from these trays, for example: width, length, surface area and as previously mentioned, volume. Below, is a table of the results for trays with a depth from 1.5cm to 7cm: Depth of Tray (cm) 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 Width of Tray (cm) 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 Length of Tray (cm) 23.7 21.7 19.7 17.7 15.7 13.7 11.7 9.7 7.7 5.7 3.7 1.7 Volume of Tray (cm3) 639.9 737.8 788 796.5 769.3 712.4 631.8 533.5 432.5 205.2 192.4 83.3 Surface Area (cm2) 551.7 523.7 493.7 461.7 427.7 391.7 353.7 313.7 271.7 227.7 181.7 133.7

Gr. 9 Math Standard

Investigation

Unit 3: Measurement and Trigonometry. AOI: Human Ingenuity. Unit question: Why are containers the shape they are? Part 2: Finding a formula (Criterion B)

1.

Using the data you obtained in Part 1, describe a relation between the depth of the tray and: a) the width: For each of the 0.5cm increases, the width of the tray decreases by 1cm. For example, for a depth of 1.5cm, the width of the tray is 18cm. Then, for 2cm the width of the tray becomes 17cm. This pattern is continuous throughout all the results found. b) the length:

Each increase of 0.5 for the depth of the tray, decreases the length of the tray by 2cm. When the depth of the tray increases, the length decreases. This can be seen in the results, for example, for a 4.5cm depth, the length of the tray is 11.7cm. Then, for a 5cm depth, the length of the tray becomes 9.7cm. This pattern continues throughout the results. c) the volume of the trays

Using the data that was gathered from the first part of the investigation, I have found that after the volume of the tray increases, until the depth of the tray reaches 3cm, when it starts to decrease.

2.

Using 1 above, find an algebraic formula (relation) in terms of x (the depth of the tray) for: a) the width: Formula = 21 2x The width of any standard A4 piece of paper is 21cm. When making a tray, the two longest sides are folded once on each side, to create the depth of the tray. Depending on the various depths of the tray (value of x), the piece of paper would be folded at different lengths (1.5cm, 2cm, 2.5cm etc.). For example, a tray with a depth of 3cm, it would be folded 3cm inwards on both sides of the piece of paper. Therefor the new width of the paper is the original width (21cm), minus 2 of the values of x. This means that final width of a 3cm tray would be 15 cm, which matches up to the formula, as 3cm x 2 is 6; therefor, 21 6 is 15cm.

b)

the length:

Formula = 29.7 4x The length of any standard A4 piece of paper is 29.7cm. When the tray is being made, the two shortest sides of the tray, are folded twice on each each side, according to the depth of the tray that is being made. For example, if a tray with a depth of 4cm was being made, the piece of paper would be folded on one of shorter sides 4cm inwards from the edge of the sheet of paper, and then again, 4cm from the fold just made. This would then be done for the other side of paper. Therefor, the new length of paper, would be the original length (29.7cm), minus 4 values of x. This means that the final length for a tray with a depth of 4cm, would be 13.7cm, as 4cm x 4 is 16; 16 - 29.7cm is 13.7cm. c) the volume of the tray:

Formula = x*(21-2x)*(29.7-4x) To find the volume of a 3D object, one must do the calculation of Depth x Width x Length. This was how I found the formula for volume, as it is a combination of the two formulas for length and width. The x, at the beginning of the formula stands for the depth of the tray. The next section of the formula is the formula for width, and then the final part of the formula is the formula that I found for length. 3. Using the formula for the volume of the tray found in (2c) and GeoGebra, draw a graph on the same axes as the depth against volume dot-plot. Save this graph, using a different name as that of the dot-plot. You may also do a screen shot. OR Using graph paper, graph the function for depth vs. volume of the box. Be sure to label everything. A graph to show how changing the depth of various trays effects the volume

What do you notice? In your answer, think of the following. i) Is the line straight or curved? The line in the graph shown above has an obvious curve. At first the line slopes upwards as the volume increases, but then when the depth of the graph reaches 3cm, the line decreases, as would show in my results. This means that a tray with 3cm has the largest volume for a tray made from a piece of A4 paper, as any higher depth than this and the volume decreases. ii) Does the line cross all your dots? If so, why do you think it does? If not, why not?

The line on my graph crosses all the points, because of several reasons. The first is that when gathering my results, the first is that I did not measure the tray. This was because there was an extremely high probability of these results being wrong because of human error. Instead, I used a method where I had the width and length of the box, and subtracted the depth twice from the width of the A4 piece of paper (21cm) and four times from the length of the A4 piece of paper (29.7cm) in order to give me my answer. Adding to this, I used the measurements given to us on the task sheet for the paper to get these answers. This meant that unless there was a calculation error, which is more than unlikely as I checked several times, the results should be correct. This method also meant that my results had some kind of pattern to them, The second reason why the line crosses all the of the points as I used a a formula for volume when creating the graph, which inputted the line of the graph (y value). iii) How can you use this graph to estimate the maximum volume the tray will contain?

From this graph I know that a tray with a 3cm depth, will have the largest volume, when created from a piece of A4 paper. I can also infer that once a tray has the depth above around 7cm, it is impossible to make the tray from an A4 piece of paper.

Part 3 Reflection (Criterion D)

1. Write down the process of your data collection in 4 to 5 steps:

1) The first step of the data collection was to create the 12 trays needed. Remember that each of the trays should have a different depth, and that these depths should be in numerical order with the same interval between them. For my trays I chose 1.5cm, 2cm, 2.5cm, 3cm, 3.5cm, 4cm, 4.5cm, 5cm, 5.5cm, 6cm, 6.5cm and 7cm. To create the tray, first get you piece of A4 card or paper. This example will create a tray with a depth of 3cm. To do this, first draw a straight line that is 3cm inwards from the edge of the piece of paper, going along the length of the piece of paper. Then do this with the opposite side of the piece of paper. Then fold along both of the lines drawn. Next, draw a line that is again, 3cm inwards from the edge of the piece of paper, along the width of the piece of paper. Now, draw another line, 3cm inwards from the line that had just been drawn. Look at your paper, and you will see 2 squares in each corner of the piece of paper that go along the length. Use a pair of scissors to cut in the line between the squares and the 2 rectangles. Do this for each corner and then fold along all of the lines drawn. For the other boxes, substitute 4cm, for the other depths.

2) Once you have made all of the trays, it is time to start calculating the other factors you have to find; the first is width. There are two ways to find the width of the tray, one is more accurate than the other as it can be calculated rather than measured. To find the more accurate way, you should first know that the original width of an A4 piece of paper is 21cm. You then do a calculation of 21cm - (depth of tray x 2). This is essentially the same as the formula for width shown above, but when I created the boxes, I did not have that formula, but it is the same principle. The alternative to this, is to simply measure the trays you have created. However, this is unreliable as it is unlikely that the boxes are all 100% correct. Nevertheless, to do this, simple measure the shortest side of the bottom face of the tray and the number you get is the width. 3) The length of the tray is also fairly easy to find out. Again, there are two methods to find it out. For the first, you need to know that the original width of any A4 piece of paper is 29.7cm. The calculation you should then do is 29.7cm - (depth of tray x 4). As stated above, this is the came principle for formula for length, but I did not have the formula at the time I created the boxes. The other method it just to measure the longest side of the bottom face of the tray.m 4) The principle of finding the volume of the tray is simply, Depth x Width x Length. Therefor, for each of the trays, it is the depth of the tray, times the width that you have found, and times the length of that tray. 5) To find the surface area of a tray, it is fairly simple, first you need all of the measurements for your boxes. Also, remember that the surface area is for the outside surface area for the tray. The first step is to multiply the width of tray, times the depth for that particular tray. For example, a tray with a 7cm depth has a width of 7cm also. 7cm x 7cm is 49cm2. This number is then multiplied by 2 because there are two sides of the tray with the same surface area. Next, you multiply the width for the tray, times by the various depth for that tray. This number is then multiplied by two, as again, there are two side with the same surface area. Finally, the width and length must be multiplied together. These three numbers must be added together to give the final surface area for that specific tray. This must be done for each tray.

2.

In light of your work in part 1 & 2:

a)

How accurate do you think your measurements were? What did or could you do to improve the accuracy? For this experiment I did not measure my trays as I believed that human error would take place and my results would be inaccurate. Instead of this, I used a method, as stated above, Instead, I used a method where I had the width and length of the box, and subtracted the depth twice from the width of the A4 piece of paper (21cm) and four times from the length of the A4 piece of paper (29.7cm) in order to give me my answer. Adding to this, I used the measurements given to us on the task sheet for the paper to get these answers. This meant that there was no error in my measurements as the way that I got my results was faultless.

b)

What would be the effect on your dot-plot be if, for example, a 2mm mistake in one of the measurements was made? If there was a 2mm mistake for one of the measurements then on the graph, it would have been a little higher than it should have been. This would have meant that one of my results would not have fit with the line on the graph, and therefor the pattern.

c)

Explain the effect by looking at the absolute error and % error that could occur. Absolute error is the different between the results that I got, and what the results should have been. However, this does not really apply to myself as my results were correct. In a real life scenario however, even the smallest of mistakes could have negatively affected the outcome quite a lot. This is because when manufactures input the data into the machines they use, if this data was to be wrong, then the entire batch of products would be wrong. As a result of this, many people could lose their jobs and the batch of products created would have be thrown away. Again, as stated above previously, my results were correct, but if they were not this would have a large and negative impact in a realistic situation.

3.

Explain how your results would be beneficial for the manufacturer. My results would be beneficial to the manufacturer as they would know that a tray with a 3cm depth creates the largest volume possible, considering the sheet of material used to create the tray. As well as this, they would also know that a tray with a depth greater than 7.3cm - 7.4cm, cannot be made as the size of the paper does not allow for this. In response to the context of this investigation however, these results would also allow the manufacturer to know they the best value for volume of a tray is 3cm, and therefor the best container for chocolates.

4.

What other considerations would a manufacture look at when designing a tray (container) for packaging? Discuss. When creating a tray for consumers, the manufacture would look at several things. For example, they would look at how sturdy the tray was, as if that particular design had a habit of falling apart then they would not use it as it would be wasteful. As well as this, the tray would also have to fit the size of the chocolates in the first place. It is not use of having a tray that is too shallow for the depth of the chocolates. To add to this, if the tray did not fit whole number of chocolates this would also be no use as they could not get maximum use out of the space of the tray.