Ken's Puzzle of the Week

Tetromino Tiling
 
                                     
                                   

There are five basic tetrominos, as seen above.

  1. Why can't you place all five into a 4x5 rectangle?  Reflections and rotations are allowed.
     
  2. Place all five into a 3x7 rectangle.  If you color the grid as a checkerboard, with the corners black, which color is uncovered?  Can you find a different configuration which leaves the other color uncovered?
     
  3. If we color the pieces in a checkerboard pattern, we have seven unique pieces. 
     
                                                         
                                                       

    Can these seven pieces be placed into a 4x7 rectangle, to create a checkerboard pattern?  Reflections and rotations are allowed.
     

  4. If we color them and don't allow reflections, we have 10 unique pieces. 
     
                                         
                                       
                                       
                                         
                                       

    Can these 10 pieces be placed into a 5x8 rectangle to create a checkerboard pattern?  Into a 4x10 rectangle?  Only rotations are allowed.

Source: Original.


Solution
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