bomaha Posted September 13, 2011 Report Share Posted September 13, 2011 The question is:Why do bees store its honey in hexagonal shapes? Why not a triangle? A square??The answer is obtained mathematically. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CkyBlue Posted September 14, 2011 Report Share Posted September 14, 2011 I'm from SL math...is this about area of a geometric figure? I am going to bare my curiousity to not look it up.Could you give hints? Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurtleR Posted September 14, 2011 Report Share Posted September 14, 2011 I'm totally making a guess here....but does it have to do with how the hexagons fit together? :/ 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hexa Posted September 14, 2011 Report Share Posted September 14, 2011 I gave it a bit of thought but then I Googled it. I won't spoil it for you guys, but it is quite interesting and actually not that complex. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dessskris Posted September 14, 2011 Report Share Posted September 14, 2011 i cannot see your imageshack pictures it's because when you put them altogether there's no wasted space unlike when you use circles. if you use other shapes the areas will be smaller. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aldld Posted September 14, 2011 Report Share Posted September 14, 2011 (edited) I read a bit about circle packing a while back and this reminded me of how hexagonal packing is the most efficient way of packing equal circles. Maybe it has something to do with that? I still haven't looked up the actual answer, BTW, if I get bored I might take another look at this tomorrow. Edit: Also, to tile something like regular octagons, for example, on a plane would require extra squares in some spaces, as opposed to using hexagons, triangles or squares (I can't think of any others right now). Out of the three, hexagons seem like they would provide the most rigid structure since the way squares line up doesn't look like it would be quite as rigid, and tiling triangles would form hexagons out of the triangles anyway. Edited September 14, 2011 by aldld Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR.AHM Posted September 14, 2011 Report Share Posted September 14, 2011 Assumptions:1- equilateral triangle is the most rigid geometrical shape and you can fit six of them in one a regular hexagon. Therefore in the end it will all be strong.2- If my idea in part one is correct. Then the shape no matter if it is rotated it will be the same. I wanted to insert the Center of Gravity concept. But you only said mathematically Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellwo Posted September 17, 2011 Report Share Posted September 17, 2011 Also to consider I'm pretty sure that I have observed that bunches of soap bubbles form hexagons as well. Memories are fuzzy so I could be wrong. So when packing a bunch of spheres that are attracted to form a solid shape it seems that hexagons are ideal. I guess that you would want to balance the max internal area that can be formed without losing space between the shapes. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bomaha Posted September 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 The answer is:We have a triangle, a square, and a hexagon that have the same area.The perimeter of the hexagon will be the shortest of them although it has the same area.Now it is easily proven mathematically. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Positron Posted February 6, 2012 Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 (edited) Ok, this is easy, but I'll post it anyways 21234 X 0.51235 Yeah, and of course no calculators... Edited February 6, 2012 by Klaus.A Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rFumachi Posted February 6, 2012 Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 (edited) Ok, this is easy, but I'll post it anyways 21234 X 0.51235 Yeah, and of course no calculators... one? edit: wait no, I thought it was 21234 X 0.51234 0.5 I really put some effort into this lol Edited February 6, 2012 by rFumachi Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Positron Posted February 6, 2012 Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 Your answer is correct Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rFumachi Posted February 6, 2012 Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 Your answer is correct I knew taking Math HL would be worth it someday Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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