Building a Fortress
Imagine one of the following scenarios:
1) You are an up-and-coming monarch in the pre-Columbian Americas or in feudal Europe or
Asia, and your political enemies wish to prevent your rise to power. You have access to Stone.
2) The world is approaching armageddon. You are ultra-rich and want to escape into outer space.
You have access to Titanium Alloy.
3) A zombie apocalypse has broken out on the other side of the country, and you need to prepare.
You have access to Steel Plate.
4) In a fantasy world, your spies inform you that and enemy ruler has joined forces with a
warlock and plans to attack when the mountain pass is passable. You have access to
Adamantium.
With the resources you have access to, you must build yourself a fortress in order to survive.
You determine that you have, at your disposal, enough building material to cover 4000 square
meters of area. Construction begins immediately and you must make sure you meet the following
conditions:
● You must include a floor built using materials.
● Your floor plan may be as large as you wish, but your walls must be AT LEAST
three meters high.
● Because of time constraints, you may only have one floor (no multi-story
fortresses).
● In order to maintain your reputation, your fortress must include AT LEAST one
triangular prism and one cylinder, either as a room or as part of your roof.
● You may not use more material than you have access to. However, you do not
have to use all of your material.
● Your fortress must include AT LEAST four different rooms, all with walls that
reach as high as your fortress's outer walls.
● In order to survive comfortably, your fortress must have a volume of AT LEAST
1000 square meters.
Using the two sheets of graph paper provided, create a floor plan of your fortress.
On the first sheet, illustrate an aerial view of what the inside of the fortress looks like without the
roof.
On the second sheet, illustrate a side view of the fortress, including the roof on top.
Provide the dimensions for each wall in your fortress. Also provide the dimensions of the roof.
Record these calculations in the data table.
Using the data in the data table, calculate the total surface area of the materials you used. Did
you exceed the amount you have access to? If so, refine your fortress.
Calculate the volume of each room in your fortress. Record these calculations in the data table.
Calculate any additional volume your fortress may have (for example, attic space). Record these
calculations in the data table.
Using the data in the data table, calculate the total volume of your fortress. Did you meet the
minimum requirements? If not, refine your fortress.
When your fortress is complete, place your plans into your portfolio and give it to your
construction master for review (your teacher).