New Shapes Isabel Hardwig Bad Habits Editor
THE HAT TREE THAT GREW AROUND A BIKE I can admit that the whole concept of This tile is in the shape of a bike that was “hat tile” has already been done pretty well, abandoned near a seedling, and the seed but what can I say? I stand on the shoulders grew into a big, strong tree that kind of made of giants. Here is a tile that probably would the bike into a part of it. I think it’s a really not fit together infinitely without repeating good tile, because every time you’re making patterns, but which does look like a hat, and eggs or taking a shower, you could look down that’s one third of the battle. and be imparted with an important message about nature and resilience. I didn’t really have time to check if it was infinite or nonrepeating, but if you tried it out I bet it would be.
I have not always loved tile patterns, but I do love jumping on the tile patterns bandwagon whenever something interesting is going on there. A couple weeks ago, the most tile patterns thing happened since 1974, and it was a doozy! In case this is the first you’re hearing about it, here’s a rundown: • Some tiles can make patterns that are infinite (fit into each other without gaps or overlaps, and could continue doing so forever). • Some tiles can make patterns that are non-repeating (you can’t just take one segment of tile pattern and insert it into another segment of tile pattern elsewhere in the tile pattern–it has no translational symmetry). • Although mathematicians have found sets of multiple tiles that meet both criteria, they have long been searching for the “Einstein” of tile patterns: a single tile that can make a pattern that is both infinite and non-repeating. • A guy called David Smith, who is “always messing around with shapes,” recently discovered a shape that fits the bill, solving a DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM math problem that has been vexing people since the ‘60s. It has The world’s first shape with the vague 13 sides, it’s called “the hat,” and it rocks more than anything else contours of a downstairs bathroom, this in the world. tile would be perfect for a downstairs bathroom. You could also put it in an upstairs bathroom, but it might confuse people. As a bonus, I have a strong hunch that it’s mathematically significant somehow.
BIGGGG TILE This tile is infinite and non-repeating because there’s only one of them in the whole pattern, because it’s soooo big. I don’t think anyone’s thought of this yet, but it could be a gamechanger.
Though I’m no “mathematician,” I do love shapes, and I love shapes that are also somehow Einstein, so it seemed like a no-brainer to give this one a try. Here are some of my proposals for new tile shapes, which I hope will be just as, if not more, revolutionary. IVORY TOWER SQUARE This shape is one of the most imporThis one I’m thinking of tant ones, in my opinion. A striking form calling a “square.” of protest against all the hoity-toity academics who claim that a shape needs to “be infinite” and “can’t repeat” in order to have “mathematical significance.”
SCREENPLAY FOR “MAZE RUNNER 2: THE SCORCH TRIALS” If you wrote one letter on each tile, and maybe did a couple pictures, you could easily make a pattern that doesn’t repeat and basically goes on forever (2 hr 13 min runtime).
April 14, 2023
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