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What kind of regular polygons can be used for regular tessellations

1 Answer

2 votes

3 Answers:

  • Equilateral triangles
  • Squares
  • Regular Hexagons

==============================================

Reason:

The interior angle formula of a regular polygon is

i = 180*(n-2)/n

where n = number of sides, and i = interior angle in degrees.

If n = 3, then each interior angle would be i = 60. Note how this interior angle is a factor of 360. This explains why equilateral triangles are a type of regular polygon that tessellates the plane.

If n = 4, then i = 90 which is also a factor of 360. This means squares are another type of regular polygon that tessellate the plane.

Unfortunately n = 5 leads to i = 108 which is not a factor of 360; therefore, regular pentagons do not tessellate the plane.

Luckily, n = 6 works because i = 120 is a factor of 360.

Any larger value of n will lead to some value of i that isn't a multiple of 360. Therefore, only equilateral triangles, squares, and regular hexagons are the only regular polygons that tessellate the plane.

answered
User Robyoder
by
8.3k points

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