Tessellations

A tessellation is a pattern of shapes that fit together with no gaps or overlaps. Squares, triangles and hexagons can all tessellate on their own. Many floor tiles and honeycombs are everyday examples of tessellations.

Artists such as M. C. Escher used tessellations to create famous patterns of birds and fish that interlock. Tessellations also show mathematicians how shapes fit together and how angles add up around a point.