Kung
Fu Panda Tangram
Kung Fu Panda ™ & © 2008 DreamWorks Animation L.L.C.
© 2008 Hewlett-Packard Company
hp.com/go/activitycenter
What You Need & How to Play
The only thing you need to play this game is the seven
pieces of the tangram itself. Of course, a little patience and
concentration won’t hurt either.
The object of the puzzle is to use the game pieces to create a
certain shape—usually people or animals. With this special
tangram you’ll be making Po, Crane, Tigress, Viper, Mantis,
and Monkey.
The rules are just as simple: You have to use all seven pieces,
without any of them overlapping, and they must all lay flat.
Sound easy? Think again! Although the tangram is made
of simple shapes such as triangles and squares, certain
combinations of these pieces can make many other geometric
forms. What may look like a square could actually be two
smaller triangles.
Tips for Starting
Find a place for the two large triangles first—they will always
make up half of any silhouette’s area.
Next, work the pieces from largest to smallest. The small
triangles will usually be the easiest to place within the puzzle.
Tangram and Geometry
If you pay close attention, you might discover that the seven
pieces of the tangram have special relationships to each other.
For example:
The area of the large triangle is twice the area of the medium
triangle, and the medium triangle is twice the area of the small
triangle—which itself is half the size of the square piece!
Don’t forget the geometric outcast, the rhomboid! His area is
equal to that of the square’s.
You may even notice that the seven pieces can be broken down
to create 16 small triangles.
More Ways to Enjoy
Play as a family for a fun and educational activity.
Use as a tool for studying shapes, angles, and geometric
patterns.
Explore the Internet to learn more about the history of the
tangram and all the exciting discoveries it has to offer.
The Tangram
Explore the mystery of the tangram—a Chinese puzzle made of five
triangles, a square, and a rhomboid—with bright game pieces and
your favorite Kung Fu Panda characters! It’s believed that the tangram
was created in China several hundred years ago, though the exact
date remains unknown. The tangram seems simple at first, but players
are soon faced with many surprising challenges. Read the brief set of
instructions below, prepare your mind for a creative journey, and enjoy
the tangram experience!