Watch: What is tessellation?
Tessellation is when shapes fit together in a pattern with no gaps or overlaps.
Find out more by watching the video.
Morning! Tiling the floor? And what shaped tiles have you picked?
Squares! That's a surprise. Ah, by putting the squares side to side like that you can make a pattern. This is called tessellation. And now a pattern made of triangles. Who'd have thought!
Tessellation needs the shapes' edges to fit together with no gaps or overlaps. And I hate to be the one to say it, but what about those gaps that are left under the lines? Upside down triangles, brilliant! Nice tessellation action.
A circle, as is often the case, is the odd one out. Circles don't tessellate properly due to their shape, so you will always have gaps.
Well hang on, who's this adorable little fella? Now it fits!
Tessellation that uses two shapes like this is called irregular tessellation, but a lovely tessellation nevertheless! Nice one!
Activity
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