Pentoad

Pentoad
x = 13, y = 12, rule = B3/S23 11b2o$11bo$9bobo$9b2o$5b2o$6bo$6bo$6b2o$2b2o$bobo$bo$2o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ AUTOSTART ]]
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Pattern type	Oscillator
Number of cells	20
Bounding box	13 × 12
Period	5 (mod: Unknown)
Heat	8.8
Volatility	Unknown | Unknown
Kinetic symmetry	Unspecified
Discovered by	Bill Gosper
Year of discovery	1977
Glider synthesis Fewest gliders 12 Uploaded synthesis RLE pentoad_synth.rle
Pattern files Plaintext pentoad.cells RLE pentoad.rle

Pentoad (or eater-bound Z-hexomino) is a period 5 oscillator that was found by Bill Gosper in June 1977. It consists of a Z-hexomino that is stabilized by two eater 1s.

It was discovered by Scott Kim that this oscillator is extensible by moving one of the eaters diagonally away by four cells and inserting another Z-hexomino in the gap. A pentoad constructed in this way with n Z-hexominoes has 14 + 6n cells and heat 8.8 + 6.4n. The pentoad with two Z-hexominoes is shown below.

Image gallery

The pentoad with two Z-hexominoes. Download RLE: click here

See also

• Biting off more than they can chew
• Toad
• Smallest period five oscillators

External links

• Pentoad at the Life Lexicon