SOLUTION: A tile manufacturer wants to make parallelogram-shaped tiles with the dimensions 4 in. by 6 in. What is the maximum number of such tiles that can be cut from a 12 in. by 40 in. sla

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Question 1136664: A tile manufacturer wants to make parallelogram-shaped tiles with the dimensions 4 in. by 6 in. What is the maximum number of such tiles that can be cut from a 12 in. by 40 in. slab of clay? I have tried everything I can think of including graph paper and I still do not understand how the answer become 36 tiles. I can get 18 whole tiles with a lot of scrap left over.
Answer by ikleyn(52780) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.
Try PARALLELOGRAMS with the acute angle of 30 degrees between the sides of 4 in and 6 in.


PARALLELOGRAMS, not rectangles (!)


Did you try it ?


I myself didn't try to do it, but I think that the KEY is to use such PARALLELOGRAMS.