Why do honeybees love hexagons? - Zack Patterson and Andy Peterson
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TEDEd Animation
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Honeybees are some of nature’s finest mathematicians. Not only can they calculate angles and comprehend the roundness of the earth, these smart insects build and live in one of the most mathematically efficient architectural designs around: the beehive. Zack Patterson and Andy Peterson delve into the very smart geometry behind the honeybee’s home.
As you discovered in problem 6, if you keep the perimeter the same, you will increase the area of regular polygons as you add more sides. Using this understanding, explain why it makes sense that a circle maximizes the area for any given perimeter.
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Meet The Creators
- Educator Zack Patterson, Andy Peterson
- Director Biljana Labović
- Animation Artist Lisa LaBracio
- Narrator Michelle Snow
