Tangrams

TANGRAMS

A thinking puzzle.

• The tangram is a flat puzzle with seven shaped pieces, which when put together correctly, create a large square.
• Tangrams can be arranged into many different shapes, such as a person or dog, and can be put together in an infinite number of combinations, and since the 1800s, there has been over 6500 documented, different tangram puzzle arrangements.
• The tangram rules are that you must use all seven shapes (‘tans’); they must all touch; and they are not to overlap.
• It is believed that tangrams were most likely invented in China between 960-1279 AD.
• Tangrams were brought home to America and Europe by various merchants in the early 1800s, as gifts and souvenirs from their business trips to Canton, China, and became very popular.

• Tangrams also became popular in World War I, probably due to their portability and good entertainment value.
• The origin of the word ‘tangram’ is uncertain, and there are a variety of theories about it, including that it comes from an old English word ‘tramgram’ meaning puzzle or trinket.
• Tangrams were originally made from glass, wood, ivory or turtle shell, and are now commonly made from plastic.
• The tangram shapes are two large right angled triangles; one medium right angle triangle; two small right angle triangles; one square; and one parallelogram.
• Tangram shaped tables and condiment dishes have been produced during the past couple of hundred years, with the sets of condiment dishes, made from a variety of materials, being popular in the 1800s and early 1900s.