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Re:Mathematical gift wrapping [video] by chestervonwinch on Tuesday December 22, 2015 @08:25AM (#10777584)
Neat. I wonder how this problem could be better posed mathematically. Minimize both the number of folds and surface area of wrapping used subject to the constraint the surface of the gift is completely covered? Yikes. It seems like predicting how a fold in the wrapping would affect the available wrapping left to cover the gift would be difficult.
Re:Mathematical gift wrapping [video] by Someone on Tuesday December 22, 2015 @02:05PM (#10779594)
That would be a research subject in the mathematics of origami.

That field is fairly advanced (See for example http://www.langorigami.com/science/science.php), but I am not aware of people studying 'boxes'.

Re:Mathematical gift wrapping [video] by frogpelt on Tuesday December 22, 2015 @11:12AM (#10778494)
I imagine you could get more usage out of a roll of wrapping paper if you could minimize any paper overlap. But it would take for more time to cut the paper.