Math 402, Spring 2007

This is part of Assignment #9. Work through part (1) using Geometry Explorer.  Write up your answers to (2) and (3e,f,g,h) to turn in with Assignment #9 on April 18.

1. Follow the steps in Section 7.7. Note that a (5,4) tiling means a tiling of regular pentagons, with 4 of these pentagons meeting at each vertex. Be sure you understand why the angle measurements of 72 degrees and 45 degrees are used in constructing this tiling.

 

2. Do Exercise 7.7.3. Carry out the steps to construct the tiling just like you did in part (1).

 

3. Area and defect:

a. Construct a triangle in the Poincare model.

b. Select the three vertices and use “Defect” in the “Measure” menu to find the defect of the triangle.

c. Again select the three vertices and use the “Filled Polygon” button to fill in the triangle.

d. Use “Area” in the “Measure” menu to measure the area of the triangle.

e. Drag the vertices of the triangle around. What is the smallest defect you can get? What is the largest defect you can get? What is the largest area? The smallest area? Does the defect get larger or smaller as the area gets larger?

f. Again dragging the vertices of the triangle around, calculate the ratio of defect to area for several triangles (use a calculator). What pattern do you notice?

g. What constant does Geometry Explorer use for k (as in Theorem 7.22)?

h. How would your answers to (e) and (f) be different in Euclidean space?

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