Students build and draw three-dimensional cubes made up of small unit cubes. Student study patterns by analyzing the number of sides painted of each unit cube, which made up the larger painted cube.
Task Instructions
Imagine that we paint a 4 x 4 x 4 cube blue on every side. How many of the small cubes have 3 blue faces?
How many have 2 blue faces?
How many have 1 blue face?
How many have not been painted at all? How many faces would be painted in a cube of any size? Think visually!
Materials
- Grid or isometric dot pater
- Centimeter cubes or similar (sugar cubes are great for this activity!)
- Colored pens or markers