3.1 Create a Tessellation  Acrobat Reader IconPrintout
We adore chaos because we love to produce order.
—Exit book to another website.M. C. Escher (1898–1972)

Directions for creating a tessellation based on a parallelogram. (You may want to use dynamic geometry software such as Geometer's Sketchpad or GeoGebra for the construction.)

(1)  Construct a parallelogram.
(2)  Construct a figure along one edge of the parallelogram.
(3)  Translate the figure to the opposite side of the parallelogram.
(4)  Construct a shape along one of the other sides of the parallelogram.
(5)  Translate the shape to the opposite side of the parallelogram.
(6)  Hide the original parallelogram.
(7)  Create the tessellation by translating the figure.
(8)  Color the interiors as desired.

Diagram illustrating the steps to a construction of a tessellation. Final step in the tessellation construction. Completed tessellation with color.

What other basic shapes besides a parallelogram may be used to construct a tessellation?

3.1.1 Introduction to Transformational GeometryBack to Introduction to Transformational Geometry

Ch. 3 Transformational TOC  Table of Contents

  Timothy Peil  Mathematics Dept.  MSU Moorhead

© Copyright 2005, 2006 - Timothy Peil