Engineering Design Challenges — Answer Key
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
Edison invent the lightbulb after just one try.
Corrected: Edison invented the lightbulb after thousands of tries.
Engineers iterate, meaning they test, fail, learn, and try again until success.
2. Fix the sentence:
The Wright Brothers builded the first airplane in 1903.
Corrected: The Wright Brothers built the first airplane in 1903.
Built is the correct past tense form for the irregular verb to build.
3. Fix the sentence:
Bell inventing the telephone to help people talk far away.
Corrected: Bell invented the telephone to help people talk far away.
Invented is past tense and shows the action was completed long ago.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876.
Bell patented the telephone, letting voices travel across long wires instantly.
2. Thomas Edison improved the lightbulb after many failed tests.
Edison tested over a thousand filaments before finding one that lasted long enough.
3. The Wright Brothers built and flew the first powered airplane.
Brothers Orville and Wilbur tested gliders for years before their 1903 flight.
4. Grace Hopper was a computer engineer who helped invent modern coding.
Hopper created early programming tools that made computers easier to use.
Part C: Short Answer
Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.
1. Name one invention by Thomas Edison and explain why it helped people.
Sample answer: Edison improved the lightbulb so people could safely have bright light at night without using dangerous candles or oil lamps.
Edison's lightbulb made homes, schools, and streets safer and useful after dark.
2. Why are engineers important to our daily lives?
Sample answer: Engineers design tools, buildings, and machines like phones, bridges, and cars that solve problems and make life easier and safer for everyone.
Engineers turn ideas into real solutions that improve health, travel, and learning.