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Knot again!
Adapted from The Knot Book by Colin C. Adams Take a length of string and make the following loop. When the loop crosses itself, part appears brokenthat section goes under the other part. (Your loop doesnt have to look exactly the same as this one, just be sure you get all the crossings right.) When youre done, tie the ends together to make one continuous string.
Youll probably want around three feet of string, maybe a little more. You might want to tape sections down as you work, or work with a partner so you have more hands to hold down the sections youve already placed.

1.

Now simplify the loopmove it around until you get one of the following shapes (more or less; again, it doesnt have to be perfect. However: Do not cut or untie the loop. Do not pull the loop closed. (That is, dont tighten a knot.) For example, an unknot (circle) with a tightened knot isnt really an unknot!

Of course, you should ignore the knot you made to tie the ends together.

Problems with a Point: April 16, 2002

c EDC 2002

Knot again!: Problem

When you worked with the loop, you werent allowed to cut or break it. You also werent allowed to connect or mend it (by tightening a knot). Topology is a eld of mathematics in which objects that can be transformed into each other like this are considered equivalent. The loop at the beginning looks very dierent from the basic loops, but it is equivalent to one of them. 2. Which knot is equivalent to each of these?
Rather than making the loop, you might try a pencil drawing. You can move the string by erasing and redrawing sectionsbut be careful that you do so accurately!

Problems with a Point: April 16, 2002

c EDC 2002

Knot again!: Answers

Answers
1. the trefoil knot 2. (a) the gure-eight knot (b) the unknot
Teachers Note: Depending on the maturity of your students, you might have them try to explainthrough a series of drawingshow to transform the given knot into the equivalent basic knot.

Problems with a Point: April 16, 2002

c EDC 2002