Michael Hawthorne

Name:____________________________________________Date:________________Block:________
Wed Jan 17,27 4
STICKY FINGERS
Part 1: Are some kinds of ngerprints more common than others?

1. Press your nger into the ink, then gently press it against the balloon. Use a different part
of the balloon if you want to use multiple ngerprints!
2. Blow up the balloon, watch the ngerprints expand and observe the details.
3. Use the fingerprint card to roll a complete set of your fingerprints. Use the technique
demonstrated by your teacher. It may also be a good idea to practice a few times on
a separate piece of paper.
4. Compare each of your ngerprints to the examples below.

5. Determine the pattern for each of your fingerprints and record your data below:
Thumb Index Middle Ring Pinky
Right Hand
whorl whorl whorl whorl whorl
Left Hand
whorl whorl loop whorl loop
6. Predict the overall percentages (using numbers) of each type for our class? Do you
think we will be very different from the national averages or similar?

I think who I will be 60 s or higher

7. Using the Fingerprint Ridge Characteristics guide, identify at least one minutiae on each
of your fingerprints. Try to find and label 10 different characteristics. Submit an image of
your fingerprint card as a separate document to Canvas.
8. Using the data from both of your hands, count the total number of loops, whorls, and
arches. Record your own data in the (self) column in the data table on the next page.
9. Next, calculate the percentage of each type of ngerprint that you have. For example,
the Percentage of Loops = (Total# Loops / Total # Fingerprints) x 100. Record your
calculations in the % (self) column.
10. As a class, calculate the total number of loop, whorl, and arch ngerprints for the entire
class. Record that data in the Total # (class) column.
11. Finally, calculate the percentage of each type of ngerprint in your classroom
population. For example, the Percentage of Loops = (Total# Loops / Total # All
Fingerprints) x 100. Record your calculations in the % (class) column.

Self Total # Self % Class Total # Class %

Loops
65 6 81
Whorls
8 30 24
Arches
5 7
Total
10 100 100
12. Create a line graph in the space below to show how often each of the three types of
ngerprints (loops, whorls and arches) occur in:
a. the national population
b. in our class
c. your own personal prints
NOTE: Use a different color
for each of the 3 populations
and graph the percentage
of each type.

13. How does our class averages of types of fingerprints compare to the national
populations for loops, whorls, and arches? How do your personal averages compare to
the national percentages? Would you predict that another class would have averages
closer to the national average values? Explain.

Similar to world average

14. Give an example of a situation/set of data that you would assume to be closer to the
national averages? Why do you think that group would be more “accurate”?

a bigger group
 STICKY FINGERS
Part 2: Do the suspect’s fingerprints match those at the crime scene?

Three weeks ago a local bakery was robbed at gunpoint. The thief wore a
mask, so even when the police found a suspect the bakery owner couldn’t make
a positive ID. However, as the CSI processed the scene, several prints were
collected from various parts of the bakery. See evidence on the following page.
The police have identied a suspect, but he says he’s never been to that
bakery. It’s your job to see if the suspect’s ngerprints match any of those
recovered at the scene of the crime.

1. Categorize the ngerprint type for all of the suspect prints and the crime scene
prints (on the next page) as loops, whorls or arches.

2. Identify at least 15 total fingerprint ridge characteristics on each of the suspect’s

prints. Highlight/circle and label the fingerprint ridge characteristics you nd. Try
to identify at least two different characteristics on each print.

3. Using the data from the national population, would you say this suspect has
common ngerprints? Explain why or why not?

yes mostly loops

4. Do any of the crime scene ngerprints match the suspect’s ngerprints? Label
any matching crime scene prints with the hand and nger they come from.

5. Do any of the crime scene prints NOT match the suspect’s prints? Who do
you think could have contributed these prints?

surface
yes maybe a bad
6. Do you think the suspect committed this crime? Explain why or why not?

yes multiple prints match

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loop loop loop arch loup