Tiling Rectangles with Pentominoes

Henri Picciotto

Some polyominoes can be used to tile rectangles. For example, here is the smallest rectangle that can be tiled by the bent tromino:

2by3
  1. The L, P and Y pentominoes can each tile a rectangle. What is the smallest possible such rectangle? Show each tiling on grid paper.
  2. Tile a 3 by 5 rectangle with:
    1. U and X
    2. V and Z
  3. Tile a 4 by 5 rectangle with:
    1. T and Y
    2. U and N
    3. V and F
    4. V and N
  4. Tile a 5 by 5 square with:
    1. X and Y
    2. Y and Z
    3. Y and F
    4. L and X
  5. Tile a 3 by 10 rectangle with:
    1. U and Y
    2. U and F
  6. Find the smallest rectangle that can be tiled with
    1. Y and N.
    2. T and N.
    3. T and W.

This figure shows a rectangle tiled with a single F pentomino, and many P's:

F and P's

  1. What is the smallest rectangle you can tile with a single one of each of the pentominoes, and as many P's as you want?

This is an extension of page 27 in Polyomino Lessons.