Step 1
You will need:
A4 paper or thin cardboard
sticky tape
ruler
pencil
A4 paper or thin cardboard
sticky tape
ruler
pencil
Cut a straight strip of paper. I cut about 1.5cm off the long edge of an A4 piece of thin cardboard.
It isn't important how wide the piece is, but you want to get the long edges reasonable parallel, especially at the ends, so the widths line up for the next step.
It isn't important how wide the piece is, but you want to get the long edges reasonable parallel, especially at the ends, so the widths line up for the next step.
Step 2
Hold the strip of paper with the two edges lining up with each other.
Cut from about 2.5cm toward the opposite corner.
The distance isn't important, but you want to have the pieces held tightly together so they are cut the same.
Make the cut as straight as possible.
This should leave you with a tapering end.
Cutting the end this way will
a) insure you tape the strip together right, and
b) make the connecting section stiff.
Cut from about 2.5cm toward the opposite corner.
The distance isn't important, but you want to have the pieces held tightly together so they are cut the same.
Make the cut as straight as possible.
This should leave you with a tapering end.
Cutting the end this way will
a) insure you tape the strip together right, and
b) make the connecting section stiff.
Step 3
Step 4
Your Mobius strip is complete.
It only has one side. Yes, one, not two. (Unless you want to count the thickness of the paper, but that isn't really the point...)
That's the optical illusion.
To show it really only has one side, put a pencil on a spot anywhere along the strip.
Now keep drawing in one direction.
You will end up where you started. How that couldn't be if it had two sides, right?
There is more fun to be had if you now cut along the line you just drew, because you will not end up with two strips.
It only has one side. Yes, one, not two. (Unless you want to count the thickness of the paper, but that isn't really the point...)
That's the optical illusion.
To show it really only has one side, put a pencil on a spot anywhere along the strip.
Now keep drawing in one direction.
You will end up where you started. How that couldn't be if it had two sides, right?
There is more fun to be had if you now cut along the line you just drew, because you will not end up with two strips.