Printable tangram
Print the tangram square, cut out the 7 pieces and build the 8 shapes on the puzzle sheet. The answer sheet shows where each piece goes.
Preview of the printable sheet: Tangram
In the print window, set the paper to A4 or Letter and the scale to 100%.
- 2 sheets of paper (thicker paper makes sturdier pieces)
- Safety scissors
- Optional: colored pencils to color the pieces before cutting
What is a tangram and how do you play?
A tangram is a puzzle of seven pieces cut from one square: two large triangles, one medium triangle, two small triangles, a square and a parallelogram. The challenge is to build a shape using all seven pieces, touching each other and never overlapping. This page has the pieces to cut out, eight shapes to build and the answer sheet.
How to set up the game
- Print the sheets on A4 at 100% scale. The square comes out 17 cm wide.
- If you like, color each piece a different color or glue the sheet onto card stock.
- Cut out the square and then the 7 pieces, always along the dashed line.
- Check the pieces: 2 large triangles, 1 medium triangle, 2 small triangles, 1 square and 1 parallelogram.
Tangram rules
- Each shape uses all 7 pieces. No piece may be left over or missing.
- The pieces lie flat on the table, touching each other.
- No piece may sit on top of another.
- You may turn any piece. You may also flip a piece over, which changes the parallelogram.
How to solve the puzzles
- Pick a shape on the puzzle sheet. The shapes are printed smaller than the pieces.
- Start with the two large triangles: look for the biggest, plainest parts of the shape.
- Fit the medium triangle, the square and the parallelogram.
- Finish the shape with the two small triangles.
- Stuck? Check the answer option and look at how the pieces divide the shape.
Ideas for play
- Race the clock: who builds the shape first?
- In pairs: one player builds a shape in secret and the other copies it from the outline alone.
- Free play: invent an animal, a letter or a number and draw its outline for a friend to solve.
- In math class: compare the areas. The square, the parallelogram and the medium triangle have the same area, equal to two small triangles.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 7 tangram pieces?
There are 2 large triangles, 1 medium triangle, 2 small triangles, 1 square and 1 parallelogram. Together they form a square.
Can I flip the pieces over?
Yes. For most pieces it changes nothing, but the flipped parallelogram fits in places where it did not fit before.
Does every shape use all seven pieces?
Yes. That is why all tangram shapes have the same area, even when one looks bigger than another.
What paper should I use?
Regular paper works. Thicker paper, such as card stock, or the sheet glued onto cardboard makes the pieces sturdier.
Do the shapes come with answers?
Yes. Check the option to print the answer and you get a sheet with the same shapes and the lines between the pieces.
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