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The magic circle, or Mobius strip, named after a German mathematician, is a loop with only one surface and no boundaries.[i] A Mobius strip tin can come up in any shape and size. If an emmet were to clamber along the surface of the Mobius strip, it would walk along both the bottom and the acme in an space loop. Yous can hands construct and experiment with a Mobius strip using paper, scissors, tape, and a pencil.

  1. i

    Cut a strip of paper well-nigh 6 inches (15 cm) long and 1.five inches (three.8 cm) in width. When cut the strip, the measurements exercise not demand to be accurate, these are just suggested. Try to go along the width withal that you have a long thin rectangle.

    • To simplify the process, you tin can simply cutting down the border of a manifestly sheet of newspaper to brand your strip.

  2. 2

    Label the corners of the strip A, B, C, and D. In the top left corner of the strip, write a pocket-size letter of the alphabet A; in the elevation right corner, write a small B; the lesser left, the letter C; and the bottom right, the letter D. Yous will use these letters to align the strip afterwards the twist.

    • The size you lot make the letters doesn't affair, but the position of each ane is important for the twist step.

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  3. 3

    Twist the A-C side a half turn and bring it to the B-D side. Hold the ii ends in your hands, give the A-C side of the strip a half twist and bring together it to the B-D side. Match the letters, A to D and B to C and tape the edges together. Once the edges are taped, yous accept completed the Mobius strip.

    • You tin can twist the paper more than than in one case and still have a Mobius strip.[two]

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  1. i

    Draw a line along the middle of the strip. Using a pen or pencil, offset at any indicate in the middle of the strip and describe a line all the fashion effectually without lifting your pen. Eventually, the pen will end up back at the indicate you started drawing. You have fatigued a line on both sides of the loop - but without lifting your pen or crossing whatever border. How did this happen? The paper has only one side!

    • Start at a unlike point in the Mobius strip and see if the aforementioned thing happens.

  2. 2

    Color the edge of the strip with a highlighter. Take a highlighter and commencement coloring the edge of the Mobius strip without lifting the highlighter from the strip. Continue with the mark until you reach the signal at which you started. Yous'll find both edges are colored. This indicates that the Mobius strip has merely one edge!

  3. three

    Cutting the Mobius strip along the key line y'all drew earlier. With a pair of scissors, poke a pigsty into the middle of the Mobius strip and cutting along the line until you attain the offset cutting. It does not, every bit you'd await, autumn apart into two carve up loops; instead you now have a single, larger one-sided loop![3]

  4. 4

    Cut the Mobius strip i/3 of the way away from the edge. Like y'all did cut through the heart line, take the pair of scissors and this fourth dimension, cutting near 1/iii of the way from the edge of the strip. Continue cutting until y'all reach the original cut.[4]

    • When you accept finished cutting, you should have one pocket-sized ring and ane larger ring that are connected together.

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Add together New Question

  • Question

    When I cut down the center as suggested above I get one large Mobius circle, non two interlocking ones.

    Sergeantpro

    Sergeantpro

    Customs Answer

    Cut down the middle of the Mobius strip once again and then you volition take 2 interlocking ones.

  • Question

    How practice I cut to make three rings interconnected?

    Community Answer

    Cut a Möbius strip downwardly the center, making ii interlocking Möbius strips. Do the same thing with one of those 2; you at present take 3 interlocked.

  • Question

    Tin can I make a Mobius band from a sheet of A4 newspaper? Equally in, no cutting or anything, just twisting and bringing the short edges together exactly equally with the long, thin rectangle?

    Community Answer

    The problem will be making the required twist without tearing the newspaper. I think you'll need a sail considerably longer and/or narrower than the A4 dimensions. A four:ane length:width ratio is doable, but possibly y'all'd demand more or less depending on what type of paper you use; stretchier materials are better than stiffer ones.

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Things You'll Need

  • Scissors
  • Tape
  • Paper
  • Pen
  • Highlighter

References

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Reader Success Stories

  • Brenda Harris

    Brenda Harris

    Aug xx, 2016

    "I'chiliad crocheting a Mobius-style cowl. My pattern didn't explain the 180 twist in the strip, only the marked spots A/C..." more

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