Answer to Question #128861 in English for Nhlayiseko

Question

What is tangram

Answer 1

A tangram is a simple dissection puzzle that consists of seven flat polygons. The polygons are referred as tans. The tans are put together to produce the shape of the tangram. The seven tans can be organized to form diverse designs. The shapes can be assembled to almost infinite configurations.

The tangrams are an invention by the Chinese which then came to spread to England, then throughout Europe and across the Atlantic to America. The inventive tans were made from glass, wood and tortoise shell. However, the present-day tangrams are made from a variety of materials. The tangram can also be solved online.

Although the tangram is seen as just a riddle used for fun and to pass time, there is more to it. It helps sharpen spatial awareness. They enhance thinking as one try to think about how the shapes can be manipulated to fit in the spaces without overlapping.