What if you wanted to copy a letter but upon checking your calendar you discovered that the year was 1803, at which time the xerox machine had not yet been invented? You would use a pantograph, a simple mechanism for copying drawings. And if you wanted to copy your dear friend's profile for posterity, you might use a physiognotrace, a similar machine. How do these machines work?


At 2 to 3:30 on Sunday November 8th math club member Edith McCrea will talk about the history and math behind the pantograph. We will have the opportunity to make our own pantographs and (if I can get my physiognotrace together) trace our faces.

Note also that the Family Math Fun Day is on the day before (10 to 1 Saturday 11/7) also on the third floor of Williams Hall. See you there!

-Larry

read about the pantograph:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantograph

read about the physiognotrace:
http://lewis-clark.org/content/content-article.asp?ArticleID=2539#

hmmm, the secret of their operation may have something to do with similar triangles...
http://www.mathopenref.com/similartriangles.html

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The Family Math Club meets Sundays from 2pm to 3:30pm on the third floor of Williams Hall on the Ithaca College Campus. Kids aged 8 to 13 have reported enjoying the club. To get to the club travel to South Hill on 96B. Turn into the Ithaca College main entrance. Go three fourths around the circle and then along a straight stretch. Take the first right (a sign here says "admissions"). Williams Hall is the second building on your left. Enter either the front or the back and take either the stairs or the elevator to the third floor. Consult http://ithaca.edu for parking ideas.