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Mobius Strip Activity:
1. Each student needs paper, tape, a pair of scissors and a pen or pencil.
2. First make an ordinary loop. Use one strip of paper (make strips about a quarter the
width of the A4 sheet). Put the two ends together and tape the paper together this
way, being sure to tape across the entire strip. Draw a line down the middle of a strip,
continue drawing until you meet up with your starting point. How many sides does a
loop have? What do you think will happen if you cut along that line?
3. Now make a Mobius Strip. Use one strip of paper (make strips about a quarter the
width of the A4 sheet). Put the two ends together, and give one end a half-twist. Tape
the paper together this way, being sure to tape across the entire strip.
4. Draw a line down the middle of the strip, continue drawing until you meet up with
your starting point. Could you have drawn this line without lifting your pencil from
the paper? Could an ant walking along your line walk until he met his starting point,
without walking over an edge of the paper? How many sides does a Mobius strip have?
What do you think will happen if you cut along that line?
5. Cut along the line. What happens? What would happen if you cut in half again? Try
it and see.
6. Make another Mobius Strip. Next cut the new Mobius strip one-quarter of the way in
from one edge. The cut will meet itself eventually.
7. Make another strip, but use a full twist on the end this time, instead of a half-twist.
Cut in half. Note what happens. Then, cut again.
8. Although this is a fun activity, it should be pointed out that there are real-life applications of Mobius strips. For instance, many ribbons for typewriters or computer printer
cartridges are Mobius strips, the better to utilize both sides of the ribbon. Also, some
belts on cars and farm machinery are put together in this way, in order to provide for
more uniform wear and tear on the belts.