INSpiREzine Tangrams! | Page 26

Let’s review some basic geometry!

A POLYGON is an enclosed, two-dimensional shape with more than two straight sides. Triangles, squares, and parallelograms are all polygons.

The Tangram is a set of seven geometric shapes made up of five triangles, a square, and a parallelogram.

A Lesson in Geometry

Tangrams assist in the learning of geometry by developing geometrical knowledge and “geometrical imagination”.

What is “geometrical imagination”?

Geometrical imagination is the ability to mentally manipulate:

· geometrical shapes,

· the size and position of shapes in space,

· a given shape in different space positions,

· changes of shapes in their size, structure, etc.

· a plane representation of a given shape in space.