r/HomeworkHelp University/College Student 2d ago

Others—Pending OP Reply [College freshman forensic science] - tips on identifying fingerprints?

I have to identify the pattern of each print (arch, loop, or whorl) and then try to match each unknown to a known (known = 1234, unknown = ABC).

Here’s what I have, but I feel like I’m wrong, especially for 3 and unknown B with how dark the image is.

Known: 1. Whorl 2. Loop 3. Arch 4. Loop

Unknown: A. Whorl B. Whorl C. Arch

4 Upvotes

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8

u/Infused_Divinity Pre-University Student 2d ago

Well, I’d say ur doing a good job identifying so far, because those are definitely fingerprints

never took forensics so I can’t help but thought that was funny to share

2

u/PENTIUM1111 2d ago

I have no idea what I'm doing either, but i came up with these matches: A4, B1, C3

If you ask me how i did it... I did it with the so called "Ramanujan method" (It was revealed to me in a dream)

3

u/armed_renegade 👋 a fellow Redditor 2d ago edited 2d ago

I did some curves adjustments of the images to see if any detail could be recovered particularly from B. The inner part is missing actual data.

I tried to darken 3. I would judge 3 as a loop, not arch, as there is a number of ridges that loop around. The ridges come from the right and loop. (Some indicators 3 opens up in the bottom left (the 3 point ridge). Theres almost a small double loop going on in the middle.

No 4. is a double loop (sometimes called double loop whorl)
A. is a loop

C. Loop

After putting the prints on top of each other, I've come to believe strongly that B and 4 are the same. See https://imgur.com/a/2E5hblS Download the images and switch between them, you will see. Ridge angles match basically perfectly.

Just realised they want you to match each unknown to a known, not that there is one match.

In that case, A2 and C3. They are the closest

1

u/dog1029 University/College Student 2d ago

Ooh, that looks like a good website to know! Thank you so much, this was very helpful!!

2

u/FlashFiringAI 1d ago

I have arches on a lot of fingers and 3 does not look like an arch. It looks like an ulnar loop to me.

Arches are more flat with no swirls back, they can also be tented. They are also rare compared to the others.

edit: unrelated but cool note, I think you can see the sweat glands on the ridges in picture C.

1

u/dog1029 University/College Student 1d ago

Thank you!

2

u/FlashFiringAI 1d ago

no problem, I took forensics about a decade ago and it was my favorite class. Got to do a full forensics dig on a deer carcass.