Three researchers at the University of Washington Bothell recently found a 15th type. Mathematics associate professors and research co-directors Casey Mann and Jennifer McLoud-Mann, along with undergraduate researcher David Von Derau, made the discovery.
“We discovered the tile using using a computer to exhaustively search through a large but finite set of possibilities,” Mann tells The Guardian. “We were of course very excited and a bit surprised to find the new type of pentagon.”
The researchers say the finding could impact the fields of biochemistry and structural design. “Aside from the practical uses of this new knowledge, which would include a whole different way to tile a floor, the impact of this new tile moves us one step closer to having a complete understanding as to how shapes can fit together on a plane,” Mann said in a statement.
When you step back and look at the pattern the pentagons make, it looks a little like the netting on a lacrosse stick. Maybe it’s not a giant leap to think this tessellation could be coming to a tile store near you someday.
