How do you make a tower as tall as possible using one piece of paper and 6 inches of tape?

Question

The tower has to stand by itself for at least 10 seconds.

Answer 1

You want to make a tall skinny cone. First decide how tall you want to shoot for. Roll up the sheet as tight as you can into a scroll. Unroll it and Cut the paper into skinny trapezoids which can be rolled into frustums of incrementally decreasing diameter, and stacked to make the whole cone. Cut the tape into 1/8 inch wide strips you can splice the paper in 48 places. to assemble the cone.

Start with 44 inches (assuming an 8.5 X 11 paper) to get the idea. Then go for 66, or 77, or 88. How high you can go will depend on your dexterity and patience.

Answer 2

I would make a single fold, V-shaped tower with the largest V being the base. Cut the paper vertically into strips and then fold them as your V's. Experiment with a few different variations. The 6 inches of tape will be more than enough to hold the joints of this design.

Answer 3

Try this: Cut the paper into thin strips (about 1/2" wide), making them from the longer dimension of the sheet. Put 3 strips aside (these are the top 3) About 2/3" from the end of each remaining strip, fold it back along itself. Then about .25" back from the fold, fold it forward again. Then fold the strip in half lengthwise. Notice that you have a little catch that you can now insert the end of another such strip into. Alternate the direction of the folds where every other fold puts the catch on top of or underneath the leg. I made a few pieces like this and it seems to work. I just don't feel like trying to make the whole thing right now. I found it easier to fold the whole strip before putting the z-shaped catch folds into it. I only had a pair of scissors, but I would imagine that a paper cutter would make MUCH better strips than I did. Good luck!

Answer 4

Combine the tape and paper in a mortar and pestle. Heap this sticky powder into a very long thin tower shaped mould, as long and thin as you can get. Squash the material until it becomes hard enough to stand on end and voila, you have the tallest tower possible.

Answer 5

Go to Tech?

You tell Mr. Seigel that this thing is too hard with out hints. =]

I need help too. And listen, tubes are a LOT harder than anyone says. It probably won't work that way because it's very hard to make the tower be balanced. I know. Good luck though. Keep trying.

Answer 6

paper = 11" x 8.5"

I would recommend making 9 strips of 1" x 8.5" pieces. Roll them into a tube and tape them together. the final 2" x 8.5" piece, roll into a slight cone and this will give you a stable base.

Answer 7

You don't say how big the paper is (8.5x11?)

roll the paper into a tube 11 inches long.

if you can cut it (now two pieces of paper) make two tubes taped together end to end 21.5" long - can you cut the tape too??

Answer 8

I would suggest rolling it into a tube, from corner to corner, and folding down the bottom so it's relatively flat.

Answer 9

i have to do the same project for tommorow too. ha