Nautilus slide
| Nautilus slide | |
|---|---|
| |
| On display at | Tekniska |
| Type | Outdoors playground |
| Topics | Plane curves |
A spiral slide on display at the front yard of the Tekniska museum.
Contents
Description
A slide of steel in the shape of a nautilus shell is the central piece in Tekniska’s Mathematical Garden. This is true figuratively (it attracts attention); and literally, since the garden has the shape of a giant spiral and the slide is in the center.
Activities and user interaction
The slide has a instruction sign and there is also information in different levels about the mathematical aspects of the Nautilus shell and the connections to both Fibonacci and the golden ratio and spiral.
The purpose is to experience math with your body and to encourage curiosity for math. And visitors love it!
Mathematical background
The nautilus shell is one of the classics for describing connections between math, art and nature. It is said to be connected to Fibonacci and the golden ratio. Nautilus shells (as other spirals in nature such as galaxies), follow logarithmic spirals, which have the polar equation r = e<sup)kθ</sup>. That is because logarithmic spirals appear in systems or organisms with constant growth. For a certain value of k, a logarithmic spiral is called golden spiral, and it can be approximated with great accuracy by arcs of quarter of a circle, in nested squares, tiling a golden ratio rectangle. This is depicted in the Mathematical Garden. Nautilus do not follow exactly that circle-piecewise spiral, real nautilus follow a logarithmic spiral and have many different growth rates (different values of k). However, it is undeniable that the spiral and the Nautilus Slide have a big amount of mathematics, art and beauty.
History and museology
The idea of making such a slide was a result of a workshop with artists, mathematicians, teachers and architects. The slide is completely custom made.
