Mathematical Star Placement on the US Flag - Neatorama

Quick! How many stars are on this flag? No, it's not the American flag we use now, but a pattern with 51 stars, which will be needed if Puerto Rico becomes a state. Mathematician Skip Garibaldi worked out the most geometric layouts that will accommodate more stars if the flag has to be updated if and when states join the union. Slate posted an interactive flag calculator, in which you can enter a number of states, from one to a hundred stars, and see the best pattern according to a computer program Garibaldi created. Some numbers have more than one pattern, with up to six styles. Read all about it in this article from Chris Wilson at Slate. Link

That's interesting. There is always a hidden pattern everywher, isn't it.

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According to "The Simpsons", Saudi Israelia is our 51st state!

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Let's just go back to a circle of thirteen stars.

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There are 57 states. Ask President Obama.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpGH02DtIws

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No valid pattern for 69 states...let's hope it doesn't come to that.

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50 is such a nice round number, I think that's why no more have been added and why there probably won't be any more added either. That is unless some of those tiny little New England states are merged (which I think is a good idea. Many states have counties larger than those.)

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...or some of the western interior states are merged. Which I think is a good idea. Many states have counties with larger populations than those.

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I tried out that thing at the link, and i tried it with 29 stars. I got the message "No valid pattern for 29 stars."

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No solutions above 100? Dang! What about world domination?

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@Cristophe:

Not only does The United States of the World fail to inspire, it'd be quite a task to get the initials USW from the steelworkers union.

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Nah, they'll just call Pinkerton ;)

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Technically there's only 46 "states". Four of the so called states are commonwealths.

Kentucky
Massachusetts
Pennsylvania
Virginia

@Kalel Roger that!

(just what we need another basket case welfare state)

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