Now that I've posted about Tangrams I find myself pondering why they're so amazing. Just think, seven simple pieces that hold a myriad of geometric relationships such that they can be combined to create all the shapes above. And they're not easy. Just give it a try. Tangrams
Or better yet, sit with a young person and work on it together. Talk about what your brain is thinking as you try to use the seven pieces to make the different shapes. You could ask questions like: Which of the shapes has the greatest perimeter? Which shape has the greatest area? How could you design a shape with the pieces that has the maximum perimeter, or the maximum area?
