Origami's not just about folding paper

KRISTIN MACFARLANE | 12th August 2006

Who would have thought folding bits of paper was all about mathematics and science?

Secondary school students from around the Bay of Plenty were shown exactly how the three are connected by Rotorua's Jonathan Baxter and Auckland's Hugh Gribben at the Great Origami Maths and Science Show in Rotorua this week.

Mr Baxter said the show, which is touring New Zealand, was all about using an artform - in this case origami - to teach students about maths and science.

He said the show motivated teenagers and their teachers to think about how much science and mathematics was "tucked away in the creases of an origami model".

"We hope that when they go back they hound their teachers ... to make all these things [they've seen]," Mr Baxter said.

Across the globe, mathematicians and engineers with a fondness for origami had applied the scientific discipline to their hobby and found some fascinating results.

Origami could be found in everyday items like the folds in the top of a milk carton.

Mr Baxter has been doing origami for 25 years while Mr Gribben used to be a maths teacher and is now doing post graduate study in maths in origami.

Erika Purdy, 15 and Christie Gassner, 15, from Whakatane's Trident High School, were in awe of what could be created with pieces of paper.

"It was pretty awesome, just seeing how he puts it all together," Christie said.

"It's just cool," Erika said.