• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.391-405
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• 2008

There are some studies on tangram a kind of jigsaw(silhouette or dissection) puzzle. And Korean national curriculums mention about tangram. But the past studies and the textbooks are not so related to curriculums. So this study is focused on some problems and limitations of tangram activities related to curriculum. This study gives some educational suggestions using tangram: (1) alternate drawing of tangram (2) making mathematical figures instead of shapes (3) proper activities related to the national curriculum (especially, polygons and angles) and mathematical thinking (4) examples of exploring mathematical figures and angles coming in and out of national curriculum In addition to, this study suggests some mathematical activities of using similar tangrams (especially sphinx puzzle).

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.221-232
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• 2007

In school mathematics, activities to make particular convex polygons by attaching edgewise some pieces of tangram are introduced. This paper focus on deepening these activities. In this paper, by using Pick's Theorem and 和 草's method, all the convex polygons by attaching edgewise seven pieces of tangram, Sei Shonagon(淸少納言)'s tangram, and Pythagoras puzzle are found out respectively. By using Pick's Theorem to the square seven-piece puzzles satisfying conditions of the length of edge, it is showed that the number of convex polygons by attaching edgewise seven pieces of them can not exceed 20. And same result is obtained by generalizing 和 草's method. The number of convex polygons by attaching edgewise seven pieces of tangram, Sei Shonagon's tangram, and Pythagoras puzzle are 13, 16, and 12 respectively.

• School Mathematics
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.97-109
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• 2002

In this paper, tangram-like puzzles which are made by dissecting square are introduced. Especially, tangram-like puzzles which are consists of five pieces, six pieces, seven pieces, eight pieces, nine pieces, ten pieces, twelve pieces, fourteen pieces are introduced. But, This Introduction is very superficial. It means introduction is focused on each piece's geometrical shape, relative area when each tangram-like puzzles' area is one. With this introduction, six tangram-like puzzles' implication in mathematics education are suggested as followings. (1) Tangram-like puzzles may help fostering spatial senses. (2) Tangram-like puzzles may help teaching polygons, and its properties, congruences, similarities, etc. (3)Tangram-like puzzles may help teaching additions of fractions. (4) Tangram-like puzzles may help fostering mathematical thinking. (5) Tangram-like puzzles may serve as topics for supplement or reinforcement in teaching and learning tangram. (6) Tangram-like puzzles may serve as topics for problem posing in teaching and learning tangram.