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Paper Folding Discovery

This document describes how to construct various triangle centers through origami folding. It instructs the reader to fold triangles to mark perpendicular bisectors, altitudes, medians, and angle bisectors. It defines the circumcenter, orthocenter, centroid, and incenter as the points of intersection of these bisectors and notes that folding reveals properties of the triangle centers, such as all perpendicular bisectors intersecting at the circumcenter.

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550 views

Paper Folding Discovery

This document describes how to construct various triangle centers through origami folding. It instructs the reader to fold triangles to mark perpendicular bisectors, altitudes, medians, and angle bisectors. It defines the circumcenter, orthocenter, centroid, and incenter as the points of intersection of these bisectors and notes that folding reveals properties of the triangle centers, such as all perpendicular bisectors intersecting at the circumcenter.

Uploaded by

api-253005231
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Origami Geometry

Folding Altitudes,
Medians,
Angle & Bisectors
Step 1: Draw a large acute scalene triangle on your paper. Then C
label each of the angles A , B, and C.

Step 2: Repeat this for a total of 4 triangles. A BB


Step 3a: To fold a PERPENDICULAR BISECTOR;
Fold the sides of the triangle onto each other and fold &
crease C
crease the paper to construct the perpendicular
bisectors of the three sides of the triangle. Shown here
Point A gets folded to point B so that the left side of
AB lies on itself (the right side of AB). A B
A

C
Step 3b: To fold an ALTITUDE;
Fold the sides so that they overlap each other and so
fold
the fold line MUST be done through the opposite vertex.
Shown here Point A gets folded on to side AB so that it
A B
lies on itself, but the fold line goes through vertex C.

Step 3c: To fold an MEDIAN; fold &


Fold the sides so that they overlap each other just like pinch C
the perpendicular bisector, but dont crease the fold,
simply pinch the fold mark on the side (shown here on
side AB). A B
A C
Next, unfold that piece and make a new fold that contains pinch
the midpoint just created with the pinch and the opposite B
vertex (shown her with vertex C and midpoint of AB.
A
pinch
Step 3c: To fold ANGLE BISECTORS;
Fold one side (CB as shown) so that it overlaps and C
folds onto the side that forms the other ray of the angle
(side AC shown here). Crease this fold to make the
angle bisector (of ACB shown here). B
A B
Step 4: Repeat on each triangle so that you have made 3
Medians, 3 Perpendicular Bisectors, 3 Altitudes, and 3
Angle Bisectors on their respective triangles.
PP Triangle CENTERS 1 revised: 2/6/2013
Origami Geometry

Points to Ponder ! Perpendicular Bisectors


o Look at the triangle featuring the Perpendicular Bisectors. What do you notice about
all three of them once they have all been folded? Compare your results with others
near you.

Circumcenter Definition: The point of the intersection of the three


perpendicular bisectors of the sides of the triangle is called
the CIRCUMCENTER of the triangle.

Perpendicular Bisectors

o Measure the distance from the CIRCUMCENTER to each vertex of the triangle. What
do you notice about this measurement? Compare your results with others in your
triangle group.

Write a Conjecture:
Complete the sentence with a conjecture about the Perpendicular Bisectors of a triangle:

The Perpendicular Bisectors of a triangle _____________________________________


__________________________________________________________________________

Points to Ponder ! Altitudes


o Look at the triangle featuring the Altitudes. What do you notice about all three of them
once they have all been folded? Compare your results with others near you.

Orthocenter Definition: The point of the intersection of the three


altitudes of the triangle is called the ORTHOCENTER of
the triangle.

Altitudes

PP Triangle CENTERS 2 revised: 2/6/2013


Origami Geometry
Points to Ponder ! Medians
o Look at the triangle featuring the Medians. What do you notice about all three of them
once they have all been folded? Compare your results with others near you.

Centroid Definition: The point of the intersection of the three


medians of the triangle is called the CENTROID of the
triangle.

Medians

o Measure the distance from the CENTROID to each vertex of the triangle. Then
measure the distance from the centroid to each of the midpoints on the sides of the
triangle (where the medians intersect the sides).What do you notice about this
measurement? Compare your results with others in your triangle group.

Write a Conjecture:
Complete the sentence with a conjecture about the Medians of a triangle:

The Medians of a triangle ____________________________________________________


__________________________________________________________________________

Points to Ponder ! Angle Bisectors


o Look at the triangle featuring the the BISECTED ANGLES. What do you notice about
all three of them once they have all been folded? Compare your results with others
near you.
Definition: The point of the intersection of the three angle
bisectors of the triangle is called the INCENTER of the
triangle.

INCENTER

Angle Bisectors

o Measure the distance from the CENTROID to each vertex of the triangle. Then
measure the distance from the centroid to each of the midpoints on the sides of the
triangle (where the medians intersect the sides).What do you notice about this
measurement? Compare your results with others in your triangle group.

Write a Conjecture:
Complete the sentence with a conjecture about the Angle Bisectors of a triangle:

The Angle Bisectors of a triangle ______________________________________________


__________________________________________________________________________

PP Triangle CENTERS 3 revised: 2/6/2013

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