The engineering design process: goals, limits, testing and choosing
Grade 6 Science Worksheet
Circle the best answer.
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.
Bo's second matrix scores three new bridge designs. What is Design P's total score?
- 9 points
- 8 points
- 6 points
- 3 points, its strength score
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.
The bridge may use no more than 4 sheets of paper. Which design should Esme's team choose?
- X, since it has the highest score
- X, and simply ignore the paper limit
- Z, since it uses exactly 4 sheets
- Y, the highest score that meets the paper limit
Cooler designs (model data)
Design Hours cold Cost foam box 4 $5 metal box 6 $12 cardboard box 1 $2 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 foam box
- The cardboard box, since it is cheapest
- No design can meet the limits
- The metal box, since it stays cold longest
Bridge trials (model data)
Design Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 A 50 48 52 B 61 20 60 Two bridges were each tested three times. Which design is more reliable, by Kira's reading?
- B, since one weak trial does not count
- B, since it reached the highest number once
- A, since its results stay close together
- They are equally reliable
Design A trials (model data)
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 50 48 52 What is the mean of Design A's three trials, 50, 48 and 52 pennies, by Luz's math?
- 150 pennies
- 52 pennies, the top trial
- 50 pennies
- 48 pennies
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 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?
- B, which worked in every test
- C, since staying up is not a criterion
- C, for its best single result
- Neither; shades do not help
During testing, Noah's paper bridge sags in the middle. Which improvement makes the most sense?
- Add a fold or support under the middle, then test again
- Skip retesting after the fix
- Paint it so it looks stronger
- Build it the same way and hope
The garden filter makes clear water but lets it through very slowly. What should Pia's team do?
- Change one layer, like the sand, and test again
- Build the final version without testing
- Change the sand, gravel and cloth together
- Accept it without testing more
Airplane flights (model data)
Flight Distance Note 1 4 m none 2 4 m none 3 9 m gust of wind A paper airplane flew 4 m, 4 m and 9 m. A gust of wind helped the 9 m flight. What should Ren do?
- Retest in still air to see if 9 m repeats
- Report 9 m as the result
- Add more paper to make it heavier
- Throw out the results and stop
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.
The team decides strength should count double. Using the second matrix, what is Design P's new total, by Ari's math?
- 16 points, doubling the whole total
- 11 points
- 8 points, the same as before
- 6 points, strength alone doubled