Tiling patterns

In your book, Maths Mela (Chapter 11), we look at patterns made with tiles. Tiles cover a floor or a wall. They must fit together with no gaps between them and no overlaps (no tile lying on top of another).

In a tile pattern, find the repeating unit: the tile, or group of tiles, that is used again and again. The book shows patterns of blue and green brick-shaped tiles. The same brick is slid along, turned to stand up or lie down, or flipped. Once you find the repeating unit, you can continue the pattern.

Bablu Chacha makes beautiful tiles from triangles, squares and rhombuses. The book shows the same rhombus design coloured in two different ways, and the two designs look quite different! Changing only the colours can make a new-looking pattern. Mini makes a floor pattern of rhombuses and triangles, with no gaps and no overlaps.

Then the book makes a 'catty wall'. Take a square of paper and draw a cat's head and ears along its top side. Cut the piece out, slide it down to the bottom side, and tape it there. The new cat-shaped tile still fits with its neighbours, with no gaps and no overlaps, because the bump on one side fits into the dent on the next tile.