Tangram Workshop

Compose a square from seven rigid tangram pieces using slides, quarter turns and flips.

Grades 2–5 · Geometry

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Tangram Workshop

Your goal

Arrange all seven rigid tangram pieces on their matching colored outlines to compose one complete square.

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Seven tangram pieces and matching square dissection. 0 pieces match. Selected Large triangle A at (0, 0), turned 270 degrees.Goal close-upSame square, magnifiedChoose a numbered piece below to move it

Reduced motion is on. The controls still update the scene.

0 of seven outlines covered. Selected large triangle a has area 4 square units. Sliding, turning and flipping keep its shape and area unchanged.

Tangram piece

This guided tangram uses a square dissection, integer anchor positions and quarter turns. Flips mirror a piece through its local vertical anchor line before turning. Pieces can overlap while you work. Success requires every rigid piece to cover its own outlined position.

Learn with Tangram Workshop

Tangram Workshop gives elementary learners seven rigid pieces to arrange into a square. Children select a large, medium or small triangle, the square or the parallelogram, then move its anchor, turn it through quarter turns or reflect it. Colored outlines show where each piece belongs, while feedback counts completed matches. Every transformation preserves the original side lengths and area. The guided board helps students describe position and orientation, compare reflected shapes and see how smaller figures compose a larger figure without stretching or resizing any piece.

What to look for

Choose one piece

Select a numbered piece, then use its anchor coordinates to slide it.

Match the direction

Use quarter turns and a flip to line up the piece with its own outline.

Watch the area

All seven pieces keep a combined area of 16 square units.

For teachers and curious learners

Understand how rigid transformations preserve shape and area while composing a larger figure. Ask students to predict what will happen, change one setting, and explain what they observe. Learn gives a starting point. Practice and Challenge offer new goals with the same scene.

A standard seven-piece square tangram uses fixed integer vertices. Only translation, quarter turns and local reflections are allowed. Completion requires each piece to occupy its matching outline; pieces may overlap while exploring.

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