Once you know the properties of tessellations, you're well-equipped to decide if a pattern represents one or not. See if you can correctly identify the tessellations in the activity below.
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tessellation
not a tessellation
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The shapes in tessellations can be sorted into groups of congruent shapes.
Each piece in this pattern appears to be unique--not congruent to other shapes in the pattern.
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tessellation
not a tessellation
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Patterns are not tessellations if there are gaps between shapes or overlapping shapes.
How can shapes be arranged in relation to each other in a tessellation? Can they overlap or be separated by gaps?
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tessellation
not a tessellation
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There are some gaps between the shapes.
Do the sides of the shapes in this pattern touch, or is there space in between?
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tessellation
not a tessellation
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The red and green triangular shapes are congruent. They also repeat in a pattern with no gaps or overlaps.
Do you see any gaps or overlaps between shapes? Are all of the shapes part of a group of congruent shapes?
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tessellation
not a tessellation
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![Uploaded by Roger McLassus [GFD(http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cms.accelerate-ed.com/image/32287838-dd86-44b5-9261-983f48abc585.jpg)
There are no gaps between the shapes, which can be sorted into two groups of congruent squares.
Look for a repeating pattern of congruent shapes with no overlap or gaps.
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tessellation
not a tessellation
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![By TED-43 (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cms.accelerate-ed.com/image/641fc693-1e28-4e96-bc63-2624bd35e1f2.png)
This pattern consists of congruent hexagons surrounded by congruent pentagons with no gaps and no overlapping shapes.
This pattern consists of congruent hexagons surrounded by congruent pentagons with no gaps and no overlapping shapes.
Complete
