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Lesson 8 of 17

The corners must add to 360°

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Floor tiles meet at points. Why do some shapes leave gaps?

120° times 3 fills the point. 108° times 3 falls 36° short.

A full turn is 360°

Some shapes leave gaps because their corners do not add to 360°. Take a point where tiles meet. Each tile there has a corner at that point. The corners must fill the full turn round that point. So they must add to 360°. Not more and not less.

Three corners of 120° fill it. 120 × 3 = 360. Three corners of 108° do not. 108 × 3 = 324, which is 36° short.

What can meet at one point
Corners meetingTotalFits?
Six 60° corners360°Yes
Four 90° corners360°Yes
Three 120° corners360°Yes
Three 108° corners324°No. 36° short
Four 108° corners432°No. 72° too much

Add corners round the point. Try to reach 360°.

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