The engineering design process: goals, limits, testing and choosing

Grade 6 Science Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Decision matrix (model data), scores 1 to 3

   Design P, strength 3, uses little paper 2, easy to build 3; Design Q, 2, 3, 1; Design R, 3, 1, 2.

2. 1.

   Bo's second matrix scores three new bridge designs. What is Design P's total score?

   • 3 points, its strength score
   • 6 points
   • 9 points
   • 8 points

3. Table (model data)

   Design X, total score 9, uses 6 sheets; Design Y, total score 8, uses 3 sheets; Design Z, total score 7, uses 4 sheets. Limit: 4 sheets.

4. 2.

   The bridge may use no more than 4 sheets of paper. Which design should Esme's team choose?

   • Y, the highest score that meets the paper limit
   • Z, since it uses exactly 4 sheets
   • X, and simply ignore the paper limit
   • X, since it has the highest score

5. Cooler designs (model data)

   Design	Hours cold	Cost
   foam box	4	$5
   metal box	6	$12
   cardboard box	1	$2

6. 3.

   A cooler must keep a drink cold for at least 3 hours and cost no more than $6 from class funds. Which design meets both, by Jun's check?

   • The cardboard box, since it is cheapest
   • No design can meet the limits
   • The metal box, since it stays cold longest
   • The foam box

7. Design A trials (model data)

   Trial 1	Trial 2	Trial 3
   50	48	52

8. 4.

   What is the mean of Design A's three trials, 50, 48 and 52 pennies, by Luz's math?

   • 52 pennies, the top trial
   • 48 pennies
   • 50 pennies
   • 150 pennies

9. Shade tests (model data)

   Shade	Test 1	Test 2	Test 3
   B	10 °C cooler	10 °C cooler	10 °C cooler
   C	12 °C cooler	tipped over	tipped over

10. 5.

    Shade B kept the slide 10 °C cooler in all three tests. Shade C kept it 12 °C cooler once, then tipped over twice. Which should Milo's team pick?

    • Neither; shades do not help
    • C, since staying up is not a criterion
    • B, which worked in every test
    • C, for its best single result
11. 6.

    The garden filter makes clear water but lets it through very slowly. What should Pia's team do?

    • Build the final version without testing
    • Accept it without testing more
    • Change one layer, like the sand, and test again
    • Change the sand, gravel and cloth together

12. Airplane flights (model data)

    Flight	Distance	Note
    1	4 m	none
    2	4 m	none
    3	9 m	gust of wind

13. 7.

    A paper airplane flew 4 m, 4 m and 9 m. A gust of wind helped the 9 m flight. What should Ren do?

    • Report 9 m as the result
    • Throw out the results and stop
    • Add more paper to make it heavier
    • Retest in still air to see if 9 m repeats

14. Decision matrix (model data), scores 1 to 3

    Design P, strength 3, uses little paper 2, easy to build 3; Design Q, 2, 3, 1; Design R, 3, 1, 2.

15. 8.

    Using the second matrix, what is Design R's total score, by Tala's math?

    • 6 points
    • 5 points
    • 8 points
    • 3 points, its strength score alone

16. Shade designs (model data)

    Shade	Sunlight blocked	Cost
    S	90%	$8
    T	95%	$15
    U	50%	$3

17. 9.

    A shade must block most sunlight and cost under $10 of class funds. Which design meets both, by Zee's check?

    • T, and raise more money later
    • U, since it is cheapest
    • T, since it blocks the most
    • S, since it meets both

18. Decision matrix (model data), scores 1 to 3

    Design P, strength 3, uses little paper 2, easy to build 3; Design Q, 2, 3, 1; Design R, 3, 1, 2. Strength counts double.

19. 10.

    The team decides strength should count double. Using the second matrix, what is Design P's new total, by Ari's math?

    • 8 points, the same as before
    • 11 points
    • 16 points, doubling the whole total
    • 6 points, strength alone doubled