The Eiffel Tower,

designed by
Gustave Eiffel, was
an incomparable
engineering feat
when it was
erected in
preparation for the
Universal
Exposition of 1889.

It only took five months to build the foundations and twentyone to finish assembling the metal pieces of the Tower.

March 15, 1888

September 15, 1888

December 26, 1888

March 12, 1889

The assembly of the 300 meter tower was a marvel of

precision, as all chroniclers of the period agree. (Imagine a
tower taller than 3 football fields, end to end.) The
construction work began in January 1887 and was finished
on March 31, 1889.
Historical photos source: http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/

Tower is basically composed

of two parts:
- a base, which is a sort of
sturdy stool, standing on 4
main pillars, and
- a tower firmly attached atop.
The pillar base allows the
Tower to withstand the
swaying wind forces.

Because the basic

structure composed of
laminated iron is visible,
the Geometry is clear.
Lets explore this
marvel, looking for the
MATH!

Use your Math terms to

describe what you
see

These stairs lead you to

the first level
observation deck.

Where is the Math?

Parallel
Equidistant
Congruent

Triangles

Intersecting line
segments
Congruent shapes
Perpendicular

The image cannot be displayed. Your computer may not have enough memory to open the image, or the image may have been corrupted. Restart your computer, and then open the file again. If the red x still appears, you may have to delete the image and then insert it again.

Your Challenge!

You will work

with a Design
and
Construction
Crew to create a
new Tower,
using only
sticks and glue.

Your Tower base may not

have more than 4
supports at the base.
Your Tower base must
be set on a 12 x 12 tile.
Your Tower must be
structurally able to
support a tennis ball at
the top.
Your Tower must reach
minimum height
requirements.
Base: 10 x 10 square
Height: 30 inches

Your team must design an

original flag that expresses a
Mathematical Theme which
will be placed on the top of
your Tower.

Sources:

Eiffel Tower historical information/photos

http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/
Flag of France
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/factbook/fr/
flag.html