Tangrams - The Seven Piece Puzzle
by Jillian Gregory
Do you like to make spaceships and cities with Lego toys? You can construct numerous different types of spaceships by rearranging the placement of each Lego piece. The Lego pieces come in different geometric shapes like rectangles and triangles. If you are a fan of Lego toys or of puzzles in general, then you will be a fan of geometric puzzles called Tangrams.
What are Tangrams?
Tangrams are ancient Chinese puzzle patterns that consist of seven pieces. The seven pieces include: a small square, a parallelogram, two small congruent triangles, one medium triangle, and two large congruent triangles. The origin of Tangram puzzles is debatable. Some mathematicians theorize that the seven piece creative puzzle was the work of a Chinese man named Tan in the early 19th century. No matter the origin, Tangrams are mathematical creations that are fun to construct.
How do I play with Tangrams?
To begin, you are given an image to construct with the Tangram pieces. Several images can be constructed from the seven pieces such as a bird, dog, or cat. Initially, the seven pieces are not connected together in any fashion. You must connect the pieces together to create the given picture. You are allowed to rotate the Tangrams as necessary.
Tangrams test your spatial ability with the different size of the pieces. For example, there are triangles of various sizes to choose from. It is important to place them in the correct position and at the correct angle to produce the picture. You can employ a trial and error method by moving the pieces around. However, it is fun to test your perceptual abilities by rotating and moving the geometric pieces within your mind first and then move them on the actual puzzle. This is reminiscent of spatial reasoning aptitude testing where you were given a three-dimensional object and then had to draw the object on a piece of paper as if you had unfolded it.
Where can I find a set of Tangram pieces?
You can create your own set of Tangram pieces or you can find them in teacher stores, online, and in game stores. You may have even made Tangrams in middle school math class. They are great for learning geometry, area, and spatial relations. What you found to be a fun puzzle game was mathematical learning in disguise.
Who plays with Tangrams?
Tangrams are not just for kids. In fact, creating Tangram patterns has been known to be part of a job interview. Engineers are a prime example. Tangrams may seem like child's play, but the employer can test the job applicant's spatial aptitude, logic thought process, and speed in which they complete the task.
Where can I find Tangram pictures to create? I want to play right now!
You can check out Tangram books with an immense amount of patterns at your bookstore or library. Creating Tangrams can be fun, creative, and a cool way to spend a rainy afternoon. Check out Tangrams and test your geometric and spatial relationship skills.