Have you ever wrapped a present? It’s harder than it looks! If you cut the wrapping paper too short, you’ll leave a gap. But if you cut it too long, you have a lot of extra to fold over. Is there any way to use the perfect amount?
In theory, you could make a geometric net of wrapping paper. A net is a flattened version of a cube or other three-dimensional shape. A net would exactly cover all the faces of a present without any overlap, says Katie Steckles. She’s a mathematician based in the United Kingdom.
Cutting wrapping paper from a roll often leaves some waste. Cutting out nets would create even more scraps. “Nets make for very strange shapes,” says Steckles. “If you’re trying to use a roll of paper to wrap a pile of presents, you need to find a way to fit all the nets without wasting too much space.”
Luckily, Steckles has some mathematical tricks for wrapping gifts with just the right amount of paper. She can wrap cubes, rectangular prisms, or cylinders—and leave very few scraps. Her tips can help you tackle any present. Read on to learn more!