Constructions and Tilings | IT

Question 44

Were you able to tile this? How can we be sure that this is not tileable? Can you find another unit square that, when removed from a 5×35 \times 3 grid, makes it non-tileable?

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Solution
Understand the Question
  • A 1×21 \times 2 domino tile always covers exactly one white square and one black square when placed on a checkerboard pattern.
  • Therefore, any region that can be tiled completely by dominoes must have an equal number of white and black squares.
  • If the number of white squares is not equal to the number of black squares, tiling is impossible, even if the total number of squares is even.

(i) Were you able to tile this?

Answer

(i) No, we were not able to tile this region.

(ii) How can we be sure that this is not tileable?

Step 1 · Count Squares in the Region

The region is a 5×35 \times 3 grid with one square removed from the top row.Diagram 1

Total squares=2+3+3+3+3=2+(4×3)=2+12=14\begin{aligned} \text{Total squares} &= 2 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 \\ &= 2 + (4 \times 3) \\ &= 2 + 12 \\ &= 14 \end{aligned}

Since each domino covers 22 squares, 14÷2=714 \div 2 = 7 tiles are needed.

Step 2 · Count Black and White Squares

Color the grid like a checkerboard, starting with white at the top-left.Diagram 2

Counting white squares by row:

Total white squares=2+1+2+1+2=8\begin{aligned} \text{Total white squares} &= 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 \\ &= 8 \end{aligned}

Counting black squares by row:

Total black squares=0+2+1+2+1=6\begin{aligned} \text{Total black squares} &= 0 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 \\ &= 6 \end{aligned}

Step 3 · Check Tileability Condition

Each domino covers exactly 11 white square and 11 black square.

For the region to be tileable, the number of white squares must equal the number of black squares: White squares=86=Black squares\text{White squares} = 8 \neq 6 = \text{Black squares}

Since the counts are unequal, the region cannot be tiled.

Answer

(ii) We can be sure it is not tileable because a checkerboard coloring gives 88 white and 66 black squares. Since each domino covers exactly 11 white and 11 black square, an unequal count makes tiling impossible.

(iii) Can you find another unit square that, when removed from a 5×35 \times 3 grid, makes it non-tileable?

Step 1 · Find Another Non-Tileable Removal

A full 5×35 \times 3 checkerboard grid (starting with white at (1,1)(1,1)) contains:

  • Rows 1, 3, 5: 22 white, 11 black
  • Rows 2, 4: 11 white, 22 black
Total white squares=2+1+2+1+2=8Total black squares=1+2+1+2+1=7\begin{aligned} \text{Total white squares} &= 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 = 8 \\ \text{Total black squares} &= 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 7 \end{aligned}

Total squares =8+7=15= 8 + 7 = 15.

Removing 11 square leaves 1414 squares:

  • Removing a white square leaves 81=78 - 1 = 7 white and 77 black squares (equal counts, potentially tileable).
  • Removing a black square leaves 88 white and 71=67 - 1 = 6 black squares (unequal counts, non-tileable).

Choosing another black square, such as position (2,1)(2,1) (row 2, column 1):

Remaining white squares=8Remaining black squares=71=6\begin{aligned} \text{Remaining white squares} &= 8 \\ \text{Remaining black squares} &= 7 - 1 = 6 \end{aligned}

Since 868 \neq 6, the remaining region is non-tileable.

Answer

(iii) Removing the square at position (2,1)(2,1) (second row, first column) from a 5×35 \times 3 grid leaves 88 white and 66 black squares, making it non-tileable.

Common Mistakes
  • Assuming Even Total Implies Tileable: Having an even number of squares (1414) is necessary, but not sufficient. The color counts must also match.
  • Removing a White Square: Removing a white square yields 77 white and 77 black squares, which does not guarantee non-tileability. Only removing a black square guarantees non-tileability by creating an imbalance of 88 white vs 66 black squares.

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Here is a 5×35 \times 3 grid, with a unit square removed. Now, it has an even number of unit squares. Is it tileable with 2×12 \times 1 tiles?

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Q44

Were you able to tile this? How can we be sure that this is not tileable? Can you find another unit square that, when removed from a 5×35 \times 3 grid, makes it non-tileable?

Q45

If the plain grid is tileable, is the black-and-white-grid tileable?

Q46

If the black-and-white grid is tileable, is the plain grid tileable?

Q47

Use this idea to find another unit square that, when removed from a 5×35 \times 3 grid, makes it non-tileable?

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