Having Fun with Circles - A Math Trick for Kids

Having Fun with 2-D shapes.

Can a quarter (a circle) fit through a hole the size of a dime (a circle) ???

 Teach this trick to the kids then they can amaze their friends!

Materials

• dime
• quarter
• paper
• pencil
• scissors

Directions

• Trace around a dime.
• Cut out the inside of the circle.
• Try to slip the quarter through the hole without tearing the paper. 

Are you ready for the solution?

Solution

• Fold the paper across the diameter (center) of the circle.
• Now sandwich the quarter between the halves of the circle.
• Pull the sides of the paper upright.
• The quarter will slip through!!!

Why?

• The circle turned into an ellipse!  That made the diameter of the hole Bigger!

I got this trick from a fun math book!

 
Real-World Math for Hands-On Fun! (Williamson Kids Can Books)

by Cindy A Litterfield

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