DID YOU KNOW THAT "TANGRAM" IS PURE GEOMETRY?

What is the Tangram?

This ancient Chinese puzzle, made of seven geometric pieces, is not just a fun game: it is a perfect tool to learn geometry without even realizing it.

It is made up of seven geometric pieces known as "Tans":

• Five triangles of different sizes,

• One square,

• One parallelogram.

By combining these seven pieces without overlapping and always using them all, you can form thousands of different figures: animals, people, houses, boats, letters, numbers... almost anything you can imagine!

Everything you do with the Tangram is pure geometry!

Moreover, the Tangram helps you:

• Recognize basic shapes (triangle, square, parallelogram).
• Understand how figures relate to each other.
• Visualize transformations in space.

How is the Tangram related to geometry?

In many ways! Every time you play with a Tangram, you naturally apply geometric principles:

• Recognition of plane figures: you constantly work with triangles, squares, and parallelograms.
• Geometric transformations: when you rotate, move, or reflect a piece, you apply movements studied in geometry.
• Spatial relationships: you understand how shapes connect and change when moved or rotated.
• Composition and decomposition: you see that a large figure can be made of smaller basic shapes.

But that's not all. You also practice advanced mathematical skills such as:

• Comparing areas,
• Analyzing symmetries,
• Understanding proportions,
• Solving problems creatively.

What do you learn by playing Tangram?

Besides geometric concepts, the Tangram develops essential skills for academic and personal growth:

• Logical thinking: choosing and combining pieces strategically.
• Creativity: inventing new and original figures.
• Concentration and patience: searching for the best solution.
• Spatial visualization: imagining how pieces fit before moving them.

These skills are useful not only in mathematics but also in science, art, technology, and everyday life.

Facts about Tangram

• It is believed that the Tangram was invented during China's Song dynasty (960-1279).
• Its name means something like "board of seven clever pieces" or "seven pieces of wisdom."
• It has been used in schools and universities to teach geometry for centuries.
• With only seven pieces, you can create more than 10,000 different figures!

Here I leave you a video with which you can learn to make many figures with Tangram step by step:

See you in the next geometric adventure!🧩

References:

Azarquiel, G. (1988). El Tangram. Revista Suma, (1), 49-52.

Espinosa Pérez, H. (2012). La enseñanza de la Geometría. Educación matemática, 24(2), 135-140.

Natividad, J. () Manual del Tangram (s.f) https://books.google.es/books?id=3jCaDwAAQBAJ&lpg=PT16&ots=hN7rl9xRU7&dq=origen%20del%20tangram&lr&hl=es&pg=PT19#v=onepage&q=origen%20del%20tangram&f=false