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It might seem like a silly question to ask. After all, it depends on how big the rectangle is, and also the size of the squares you’re packing it with. With a big rectangle and small squares, you could fit a million, a billion or even more. But what if you have infinity squares? Is…

Gerri has two identical square tarpaulins. Unfortunately, these tarps aren’t quite big enough to cover the brand new spa bath. So Gerri’s decided to cut the tarps and tape them together to make a bigger tarp. They want their final tarp to be a square, and they want it to be as big as possible.

Here’s a quick puzzle for you – this square is too wide for its envelope. Can you find a way to make it fit?

Written by Dennis Price In this activity, you’ll draw one long line that spirals and snakes around the page, known as a spirolateral. Start with a simple one, and then go on to invent your own spirolaterals!