Dariusz Schwangruber/Alamy
What do a bathroom wall, a honeycomb, and a jigsaw puzzle have in common? Obviously, the answer is math.
If you’re trying to cover a surface with a copy of a shape (for example, if you’re tiling a bathroom), you ideally want a shape like a square or rectangle. These boring shapes are often used as wall tiles because they can cover the entire surface without any gaps.
However, even if the shapes do not fit exactly, they can be positioned in an efficient manner to cover the greatest possible area.
Imagine trying to…
Source: www.newscientist.com
