Paper planes

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Collect categorical and discrete numerical data by observation or survey

Pose and refine questions to construct a survey to obtain categorical or discrete numerical data about a matter of interest
Collect ordinal or nominal categorical data, and discrete numerical data through observation or by conducting surveys

Choose and use appropriate tables and graphs

Tabulate collected data with and without the use of digital technologies such as spreadsheets
Recognise which types of data display are appropriate to represent data (Statistical reasoning)

Students make paper planes to test and record conjectures around symmetrical and asymmetrical objects.

Students create their symmetrical paper plane.
To do this fold your piece of paper in half to create a line of symmetry. To keep our planes symmetrical, each side of the centre fold line needs to be a mirror image. That means that any fold that we make on the right-hand side of the centre fold line needs to be mirrored on the left-hand side.
Students create their asymmetrical paper plane. To do this fold your piece of paper in half to create a line of symmetry. Fold one half of your paper in the exact same way as you did to create your symmetrical plane. Fold the other half of your paper in a different way (so the two sides don’t match).
Watch 'Paper planes: Part 2' to learn how to record the data.
Students create their table, before completing the experiment using their planes.
Watch 'Paper planes: Part 3' to analyse the data.
As a class, discuss:
- What do you notice in the data you collected? Did one plane fly further more often than the other plane? Did you notice anything interesting? Record you thinking in your workbook.
- Does the conjecture that symmetry is important to help things fly hold true?

Adapted from: Paper Planes (DoE Thinking Mathematically)

Data