International Journal of Mathematical Education in

Science and Technology

ISSN: 0020-739X (Print) 1464-5211 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tmes20

Origami, geometry and art

Arsalan Wares & Iwan Elstak

To cite this article: Arsalan Wares & Iwan Elstak (2017) Origami, geometry and art,
International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 48:2, 317-324, DOI:
10.1080/0020739X.2016.1238521

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0020739X.2016.1238521

Published online: 04 Oct 2016.

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 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MATHEMATICAL EDUCATION IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 317

Origami, geometry and art

Arsalan Wares and Iwan Elstak
Department of Mathematics, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, Georgia

ABSTRACT ARTICLE HISTORY

The purpose of this paper is to describe the mathematics that Received  July 
emanates from the construction of an origami box. We first construct
KEYWORDS
a simple origami box from a rectangular sheet and then discuss some
Geometry; mathematics;
of the mathematical questions that arise in the context of geometry algebra; art
and algebra. The activity can be used as a context for illustrating how
algebra and geometry, like other branches of mathematics, are inter-
related.

The Common Core State Standards put a tremendous amount of emphasis on conceptual
understanding [1]. Origami provides an engaging context for conceptual understanding
of mathematical ideas. Among other things, origami gives our students handy manipu-
latives that can be used to visualize abstract mathematical ideas in a concrete way [2,3].
For instance, when one creates a box from a flat sheet of paper, the box becomes the
object that can be manipulated and analyzed, and abstract concepts like length, width,
height, volume and surface area become something that one can ‘touch’. When students
have objects that they have created, students communicate better with one another and
with their teacher. Moreover, paper folding in general is mathematics in action. When one
is folding paper she or he is playing with mathematical concepts like perpendicular bisec-
tion, angle bisection, properties of right isosceles triangles, properties of squares, just to
name a few of the mathematical concepts that are inextricably connected to paper folding.
In fact, it is fairly difficult to separate paper folding from mathematics. Due to the strong
link between origami and art, origami can additionally be used to inspire artistic-minded
students to think mathematically. Lastly, origami creates a powerful context for the appli-
cation of Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences [4,5]. Gardner’s theory of mul-
tiple intelligences incorporates several other dimensions of intelligences besides linguistic
and logical-mathematical intelligence. Gardner identified the following nine intelligences:
linguistic, logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, musical, interpersonal, intraper-
sonal, naturalist and existential intelligence [4].
In this paper we learn to fold an origami box and discuss the mathematics embedded in
the box. No experience in origami is needed to construct this box. However, it is important
to make the creases sharp and accurate. Figure 1 illustrates the two types of creases that
are formed when a piece of paper is folded. The constructed box will be a prism with a
rectangular base. Figure 2 shows a photograph of the box that we will be making.
We will use two sheets of paper of the same size to construct the box. We will choose 11
inches by 8.5 inches sheets. One sheet of paper will be used to construct the box; we will
call that sheet the origami sheet. The other sheet of paper will be used as a measuring tool;

CONTACT Arsalan Wares [email protected]

http://dx.doi.org/./X..
318 CLASSROOM NOTES

Figure . The two types of creases in paper folding.

Figure . This is a picture of the box that we will be making.

we will call that sheet the measuring sheet. Ideally the origami sheet should have at least
one fancy side. However, feel free to use an 11 inches by 8.5 inches sheet straight out of the
recycling bin to fold the box. The measuring sheet will be discarded during the process so it
does not have to be fancy. Let us follow the 18 steps to construct the box. Pictures for steps
1–6 are shown in Figure 3. Pictures for steps 7–13 are shown in Figure 4. Pictures for steps
14–18 are shown in Figure 5. A video showing how to fold this box is also available at the
following link: https://youtu.be/1i8zlVkly30

Step 1: Start with the measuring sheet. By folding and unfolding the two shorter edges of
the measuring sheet onto each other create a valley crease right through the middle of
the measuring sheet. This crease must be parallel to the shorter edges of the rectangular
measuring sheet.
Step 2: Use one of the shorter edges of the measuring sheet and the crease created in step 1
to make another crease that splits the measuring sheet into ¼ and ¾ parts. This crease
must also be parallel to the shorter edges of the rectangular measuring sheet.
Step 3: Fold ¼ of the measuring sheet over the crease created in step 2.
Step 4: Take the origami sheet with the plain side up and slide it all the way between
the two layers of the measuring sheet. In other words, one of the shorter edges of
 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MATHEMATICAL EDUCATION IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 319

Figure . Pictures for steps –.

the origami sheet is pushed against the crease created in step 2. Fold and unfold the
uncovered shorter edge of the origami sheet against the shorter edge of the measuring
sheet that is on top of the origami sheet to make another valley crease on the origami
sheet.
Step 5: Take the other shorter edge of the origami sheet with the plain side up and push
it against the crease created in step 2. Fold and unfold the uncovered shorter edge of
the origami sheet against the shorter edge of the measuring sheet that is on top of the
origami sheet to make another valley crease on the origami sheet. Discard the measuring
sheet. The measuring sheet will not be needed any more.
Step 6: Start with the plain side of the origami sheet up. Fold and unfold the left shorter
edge onto the crease on the left-hand side of the origami sheet to make one more valley
crease. Fold and unfold the right shorter edge onto the crease on the right-hand side of
the origami sheet to make one more valley crease.
Step 7: With the plain side up, fold the left-hand side of the top edge of the origami sheet
over the crease on the right-hand side to make a short slant valley crease as shown in the
picture for step 8. This slant crease should be between the two creases on the right-hand
side as shown in the picture for step 8.
Step 8: Unfold the origami sheet so that the plain side is up.
Step 9: With the plain side up, fold the right-hand side of the top edge of the origami sheet
over the crease on the left-hand side to make a short slant valley crease as shown in the
picture for step 10. This slant crease should be between the two creases on the right-hand
side as shown in the picture for step 10.
Step 10: Unfold the origami sheet so that the plain side is up.
320 CLASSROOM NOTES

Figure . Pictures for steps –.

Figure . Pictures for steps –.

 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MATHEMATICAL EDUCATION IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 321

Figure . Detailed crease marks on the origami sheet.

Step 11: Rotate the shape around its centre by 180°, and repeat steps 7 through 10 to make
two more short, slant valley creases.
Step 12: Make a horizontal crease by folding and unfolding the top strip of the origami
sheet that contains the two slant creases. This horizontal crease must pass through the
terminal points of the two top slant creases. Make another horizontal crease by folding
and unfolding the bottom strip of the origami sheet that contains the other two slant
creases. This horizontal crease must also pass through the terminal points of the two
bottom slant creases.
Step 13: Flip the origami sheet over so that the fancy side is up. Make valley creases along
the dotted lines. Mountain creases already exist along these dotted lines, just change the
orientation of these creases from mountain to valley.
Step 14: Start with the plain side of the origami sheet up. Lift the top and bottom parts of the
sheet along the creases that are parallel to the longer edges of the origami sheet. These
vertical strips will form two of the walls of the box that is being constructed.
Step 15: Fold along two of the short slant creases as shown and lift up the part of the sheet
that contains one of the shorter edges of the origami sheet.
Step 16: Fold the parts of the paper that contain the two short slant creases inward as shown.
Step 17: Tuck the excess paper in carefully so that the creases line up neatly inside the par-
tially constructed box. This should complete the third wall of the box.
Step 18: Use steps very similar to steps 15–18 with the other lose end of the partially folded
origami sheet to complete the box.

Now that we have the box, let us carefully analyze the constructed box. Let us open the
box up so that we can analyze the crease marks created by the folds (see Figure 6). One of the
questions that comes to mind is how can we determine the dimensions of the constructed
box, if we know the dimensions of the rectangular sheet.
Let us first show if the width of the folded portion of the measuring sheet is x inches
(see the picture on the left in Figure 7), then the distance between the first two creases
322 CLASSROOM NOTES

Figure . The measurement sheet is shown on the left and the origami sheet is shown on the right.

Figure . Connections between the crease marks created on the origami sheet and the dimensions of
the constructed box.

of the origami sheet is also going to be x inches (see the picture on the right in Figure 7).
Suppose the width of the folded portion of the measuring sheet is x inches (see the picture
on the left in Figure 7), then due to the nature of the fold we can establish the following (see
Figure 7):

m = n = 11−x , and
211−x 
p = 11 − 2 2 = x

Due to the nature of the fold, since we started with an 11 inches by 8.5 inches measuring
sheet, x = 11/4 = 2.75 inches. Take another 11 inches by 8.5 inches measuring sheet, and
fold it so that x is slightly less than 2.75 inches. Use this measuring sheet to fold a second
origami box as above. The second box will smoothly slide into the first box. These two boxes
together can be used to cover a small gift in an artistic and personal way.
We know that the dimensions of the rectangular origami sheet are 11 inches by 8.5
inches. Let the dimensions of the rectangular base of the constructed box be a inches by
b inches (a < b), and let the height of the constructed box be c inches (see Figure 8). Let
 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MATHEMATICAL EDUCATION IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 323

Figure . A graph of y = V(x).

us also observe that the distance between the first two creases made on the origami sheet is
2.75 inches (see Figure 8). Let us now determine the exact values of a, b and c.
We will use Figure 6 to determine the exact values of a, b and c. Due to the nature of the
fold, in Figure 6, the following can be established:

HG = UT = 2.75 inches,
11 − 2.75
DH = GC = = 4.125 inches,
2
4.125
TY = = 2.0625 inches,
2

TG = SF = 2.0625 inches (since polygons FIXS and TYJG are squares), and ST = 8.5 −
2(2.0625) = 4.375 inches.
Note UT turns out to be the shorter dimension of the rectangular base of the constructed
box, ST turns out to be the longer dimension of the rectangular base of the constructed
box and TY turns out to be the height of the constructed box. Therefore, in Figure 8,
a = HG = 2.75 inches, b = ST = 4.375 inches, and c = TY = 2.0625 inches. Now we can
easily determine the volume of the constructed box. Which turns out to be 2.75 × 4.375
×2.0625 = 24.81445313 cubic inches. By changing the value of x in the original measuring
sheet (see Figure 7), we can change the dimensions of the constructed box. For an 11 inches
by 8.5 inches measuring sheet x has to be less than 11 inches. Students can use different val-
ues of x and construct different boxes in the class. They can also use algebra as discussed
above to find the volume of the constructed box. Let V(x) represent the volume of the box,
where x is the length of one of the shorter sides of the rectangular base of the constructed
box. We can establish V (x) = x( 6+x 2
)( 11−x
4
) and the domain of V(x) is (0, 11). Figure 9
shows a graph of y = V(x). An experienced teacher can certainly use the context created by
V (x) = x( 6+x2
)( 11−x
4
) to ask important questions in calculus.
324 CLASSROOM NOTES

One of the strengths of paper folding activities is that they can be easy to understand
and model, yet at the same time the solutions are not always obvious. Since students have
a concrete object (the folded paper) in front of them, the level of intellectual engagement
with the task is heightened and the quality of communication in the classroom becomes
richer during the lesson. By its nature, origami creates a context for rich discourse.
Since mathematics is a cultural endeavour, it is ideal to teach mathematics as it manifests
in the context of various cultures [6]. Appreciation of cultural diversity is not only important
for the minority groups, but it is also important for the dominant ethnic group in any society
because even the members of the dominant ethnic group will be working in an environment
that is increasingly getting more and more diverse [7]. The use of origami in mathematics
classroom can provide a powerful context for the appreciation of cultural diversity of our
world.

Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Mr. Marvin E. Mears, from Valdosta State University, Georgia, USA,
for reading the manuscript and providing significant feedback.

References
[1] Council of Chief State School Initiatives (CCSSI). Common core state standards for
mathematics. Washington (DC): CCSSI; 2010. Available from: http://www.corestandards.
org/assets/CCSSI_Math%20Standards.pdf
[2] Haga K. Origamics: mathematical explorations through paper folding. Hackensack (NJ): World
Scientific; 2008.
[3] Hull T. Project origami: activities for exploring mathematics. Wellesley (MA): A. K. Peters; 2006.
[4] Gardner H. Multiple intelligences: new horizons. New York (NY): Basic Books; 2006.
[5] Wares A. An application of the theory of multiple intelligences in mathematics classrooms in
the context of origami. Int J Math Educ Sci Technol. 2013;44:122–548.
[6] D’Ambrosio U. General remarks on ethnomathematics. ZDM (Zentralbl Didakt Math).
2001;33(3):67–69.
[7] Lawrence S. Ethnomathematics as a fundamental of instructional methodology. ZDM (Zen-
tralbl Didakt Math). 2001;33(3):85–87.