A tessellation is a pattern made of shapes that fit together perfectly without any gaps or overlaps, kind of like a puzzle
that goes on forever. The word comes from the Latin word tessella, which means a small square tile. Tessellations can be
made with simple shapes like triangles, squares, and hexagons, or with more complex designs.
You can find tessellations in many places in real life. They often appear in art and architecture, like in floor tiles, mosaics,
or stained glass windows. Nature also creates tessellations—for example, honeycombs made by bees, the cracked
patterns in dried mud, or even the scales on a fish.
Tessellations are known for their repeating patterns and their connection to both math and art. They show how geometry
can be both practical and beautiful, which is why they are studied in math classes and used in designs around the world.
In the display shown here, students worked hard to design their own tessellations. Each piece was carefully created and
then combined with others, showing how individual designs can fit together seamlessly into one large, connected
pattern—just like tessellations in the real world.
