Abstract

Mathematics, as a subject dealing with abstract concepts, poses a special challenge for educators. In students ' experience, the subject is often associated with (potentially) unflattering adjectives—"austere", "remote", "depersonalized", and so forth. This paper describes a computer program named HyperGami whose purpose is to alleviate this harsh portrait of the mathematical enterprise. HyperGami is a system for the construction of decorated paper polyhedral shapes; these shapes may be combined into larger polyhedral sculptures, which we have dubbed "orihedra. " In this paper, we illustrate the methods by which orihedra may be created from HyperGami solids (using the construction of a particular sculpture as an example); we describe our experiences with elementary- and middle-school students using HyperGami to create orihedra; we discuss the current limitations of HyperGami as a sculptural medium; and we outline potential directions for future research and software development.

Citations