ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY

ECHAGUE CAMPUS
CENTRAL GRADUATE SCHOOL
San Fabian, Echague, Isabela

A Mathematical Research
in
GEOMETRIC DISSECTION PUZZLES

ALVIN R. SORIANO
MARJORIE L. ANTONIO
Researchers
 INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents the Background of the study, the significance of the study,

and the statement of the problem.

Background of the Study

In the real world, geometry is the branch of mathematics widely used in

measurements, properties, and relationships of points, lines, planes, and solids. It gives

us the idea that infrastructures or even simple things that can be seen anywhere relate

to geometric properties and connections. Geometry does not focus only on

measurements. It also gives us problems that are fun to solve and discover even single

or multiplayer. Puzzles are derived from basic properties and made challenging by

mathematicians to deepen their learning and understanding of certain topics. One type

of these puzzles is the geometric dissection puzzle.

Theobald, et.al. [16] said that any two figures’ straight edges and equal area can be

dissected into a finite number of pieces to form each other. The fact that these figures

can be dissected finitely is the main reason why these puzzles are so complicated and

more levels of difficulty can be encountered with the different numbers of pieces to be

arranged. These said pieces are not generally made of the ones which are regular

pieces like circles, triangles, or parallelograms but are composed also of irregular

polygons with different sizes.

Geometric dissection puzzles are not limited to one-by-one figure dissection

because the number of sides of a figure will tell on how many pieces the figure will be

dissected to form another figure. Dissection is that the number of sides of the first figure
should be greater relating to the sides of the second figures so that such will be

possible.

Geometric dissection is one of many mathematical problems that has enjoyed for

long great popularity for a long time. In its basic form, the dissection question asks

whether any two shapes of the same area are equi-decomposable, that is if they can be

cut into a finite number of congruent polygonal pieces. Ancient Greeks are the ones

who lead the exploration of geometry to create such mathematical problems. [17]

Geometric dissection evolved in such a way that it was used to give evidence to

certain theorems. One of the earliest examples is a visual proof of the Pythagorean

Theorem. In Arabic-Islamic mathematics and art, dissection figures are commonly used

to construct interesting patterns ornamenting architectural monuments. Dissection

figures also provide a popular way to create puzzles and games. One of them is the

Tangram, a dissection puzzle originating from ancient China, which is composed of 7

pieces that were cut from a square and then rearranged to form a collection of other

shapes.

It is at this juncture that the researchers chose to investigate geometric dissection

to discover the possibilities that can be made for it to be utilized as a tool for enhancing

geometry lessons and to help the students gain motivation in doing geometry problems

and also aim to try more complex geometric dissection puzzles that can be used to

enhance the critical thinking skills of the students. Through this study, mathematics

teachers may be equipped with a new choice of instructional strategy that will give life to

the teaching and learning of mathematics, particularly Geometry.

Significance of the Study

The product of this study will be significant to the following; students, teachers,

researchers, and future researchers.

To the students, it will help them improve and develop their critical thinking skills

because the puzzles involved different levels of difficulty. It will also improve the

student’s time management because puzzles are always time bounded.

To the teachers, it will help them to broaden their choice of instruction and

approach to the student’s group activities. Like the students, the teachers will also

develop their critical thinking skills in puzzles so that any queries on geometric

dissection puzzles can be accommodated.

To the researchers, it will help them to be more versatile as future educators so

that they will become knowledgeable of the different geometric dissection puzzles. Like

the teachers, it will help them to be more efficient when it comes to the teaching-

learning process.

For future researchers, the study will serve as a guide for future studies related to

geometric dissection.

Statement of the Problem

The aim of the study is to identify complex geometric dissection puzzles that can

help students develop critical thinking, time management, and spatial visualization.
 The study sought to explore the following Geometric Dissection Puzzles:

1. Haberdasher’s Puzzle
2. Shape it Up
3. The Infinite 1
4. Hatching the Egg
5. The Five-Piece Puzzle
6. Shape Makers

PRELIMINARY CONCEPTS

This chapter presents the preliminary concepts about geometric dissection puzzles;

a review of the literature on geometric dissection puzzles and tiling.

Review of Literature

Geometric dissection problems have a rich history, originating from the explorations

of geometry by the ancient Greeks [1]. One of the earliest examples is a visual proof of

the Pythagorean Theorem by using dissections to demonstrate the equivalence of area.

In Arabic-Islamic mathematics and art, dissection figures are frequently used to

construct intriguing patterns ornamenting architectural moments [12]. Dissection figures

also provide a popular way to create puzzles and games. The Tangram, which is a

dissection puzzle invented in ancient China, consists of 7 pieces cut from a square and

then rearranged to form a repertoire of other shapes [15].

In mathematics, an early important result was the proof that any 2D polygon can be

dissected using a finite number of pieces to other polygons of an equal area which has

commonly been referred to as the Bolyai-Gerwein theorem [10]. After that, attention has

been diverted to the more challenging problem of finding the best dissections that use
the fewest number of pieces possible. For example, Cohen [3] studied economical

triangle-to-square dissections, and also Kranakis et al.[6], studied the asymptotic

number of pieces to dissect a regular m-gon into a regular n-gon. Another, Akiyama et

al. [2] studied the optimality of a dissection method for turning a square into smaller

squares. Crzyzowicz et al. [4] studied the number of pieces to dissect a rational

rectangle into a square.

In addition, the acceptance of such problems is cultivated in important books [8].

Despite continuous research, finding the minimum dissection solution has so far only

been possible for a few special cases, while the general cases remain an open research

problem.

Tiling

A closely related subject to geometric dissections is tiling [5], The basic form of the

tiling is to create a collection of figures that can fill the plane infinitely with no overlaps or

gaps. The use of tiling is worldwide because the design of patterns for architectural

ornaments, mosaics, fabrics, carpets, and wallpapers could be found. In computer

graphics, Kaplan and Salesin [14] presented a technique called ‘escherization’ which

can approximate any closed figure on the plane into a tileable shape. A number of well-

known tiling patterns, such as Penrose tiling, polyomino tiling, and Wang tiles have also

been cleverly applied in graphics, especially for blue noise sampling and texture

synthesis [11]. An excellent introduction and survey of tile-based methods in computer

graphics can be found [7]. Tiling can also be used to create interesting jigsaw puzzles.

According to Lo et al. [9], another relevant work which is a method for creating 3D
polyomino puzzles is presented. Their method aims to find a set of polyomino pieces

that can tile a given parameterized surface, and also designed clever interlocks to make

the puzzles physically realizable.

In general, tile-based puzzles are puzzles that are utilized to study how to use a

predefined set of pieces to cover a given shape; on the other hand, geometric

dissection puzzles study how to solve for a set of pieces that can simultaneously

construct two or more shapes. Thus, their solution methods are considerably different.

Definitions of Terms

Geometry is the branch of mathematics concerned with the properties and relations of

points, lines, surfaces, solids, and higher dimensional analogs.

Geometric Dissection is the cutting of one or more figures into pieces that can be

rearranged to form other figures.

Puzzle is a game, toy, or problem designed to test ingenuity or knowledge.

METHODOLOGY AND DISCUSSION

This chapter presents the detailed discussion of the geometric dissection puzzles;

Haberdasher’s Puzzle, Shape It Up, The Infinite 1, Hatching the Egg, The Five-Piece

Puzzle, and Shape Makers.

A. Haberdasher’s Puzzle

Some kinds of geometric dissection puzzles are intended to create a large

number of different geometric shapes while other dissection puzzles are created for the

purpose of moving between a pair of geometric shapes, for example, triangle to square,

or a square to a five-pointed star. This definition tells about the haberdasher’s problem.

The puzzle is a dissection of a triangle into a square, in only four pieces. Among the

regular polygon-to-square dissection known, it is one of the simplest and is now a

classic example. It is not known whether a dissection of an equilateral triangle to a

square is possible with three pieces [18].

An amazing feature of the solution of this puzzle is that each of the pieces can be

hinged at one vertex, forming a chain that can be folded into the square or the original

triangle (see Figure 1.). Two of the hinges bisect the sides of the triangle, while the third

hinge and the corner of the large piece on the base cut the base in the approximate

ratio of 0.982: 2: 1.018.

Figure 1. Haberdasher’s Puzzle

B. Shape It Up

Shape It Up is similar to tangrams but uses only five pieces that are all different

from each other, unlike the seven tangram pieces which include several duplicate

shapes. In this activity, students are challenged to cut out the five shapes and use them

to make eight geometric figures.

According to Youngs [18], this activity will challenge students’ spatial visualization

abilities as they learn to see how the five puzzle pieces can be put together to form
each of the eight figures. Students can be told that puzzle pieces may be flipped over

however; there is at least one solution for each shape that does not require this. For

older students, there is also the potential to discuss geometry as they identify the

characteristics of the figures they create. Once students have solved the eight figures

given, they can be challenged to create their own figures and use them to challenge

their classmates. Figure 2 below shows the pieces of the puzzle.

Figure 2. Pieces of the Shape It Up Puzzle

Figure 3 shows the possible solutions to the puzzle. Some figures have more than one

solution. Also present are irregular shapes which are products of critical thinking that is

not limited only to regular shapes.

 Figure 3. Possible Solutions of Shape It Up

C. The Infinite 1

The Infinite 1 is an open-ended, spatial visualization activity that should both

challenge and bring enjoyment to the students. According to Youngs [18], it is one of

those enjoyable “put-together” puzzles that use only a few pieces to form hundreds of

interesting shapes. In this aspect, it is similar to the popular tangram puzzle. Ironically,

The Infinite 1 is a modification of the classic T puzzle in which people are challenged to

make only one shape, a block T. By changing the length of one of the four pieces of the

T puzzle, a totally different type of puzzle emerges, the Infinite 1.

The challenge in The Infinite 1 is to have students make as many different shapes

as they can, using the four puzzle pieces. Students should be encouraged to make a

record of their shapes by drawing each shape’s outline on a page. These shapes can
then be passed from student to student or placed on a bulletin board as challenges for

the rest of the class.

Figure 4. Block T

Figure 5 below shows some of the possible solutions to the puzzle. Students’ work

may not be the same as all of their classmates so the sense of discovery in every

possible solution triggers the students’ persistence to create many other shapes.

Students’ then are becoming critical thinkers.

Figure 5. Possible solutions of The Infinite I

D. Hatching the Egg

Hatching the Egg is another spatial visualization-enhancing activity that can be

enjoyed by the students. The puzzle challenges students to rearrange the ten pieces of

a paper egg to produce a number of different shapes resembling birds. By solving this

kind of geometric dissection puzzle, students’ spatial visualization ability will be

developed while building their problem-solving persistence [18].

This puzzle belongs to the family of challenging, with multiple-solution dissection

puzzles. This puzzle is one member of a large family of challenging, multiple-solution,

dissection puzzles. Unlike all those common dissection puzzles and the like, hatching

the Egg has pieces that have rounded as well as straight edges. Just like these other

puzzles, however, the individual pieces can be placed together in a number of ways to

make interesting, and recognizable, shapes. In the case of Hatching the Egg, over 50

shapes resembling birds can be created. Because this puzzle has so many possible

solutions, it can be used over an extended period of time [18].

Figure 6. Hatching the Egg Puzzle pieces

Below are the figures of the possible solutions to the puzzle. Each of them

resembles a bird and there are many other solutions of them yet to be discovered by the

students.
 Figure 7. Possible Solutions of Hatching the Egg

E. The Five-Piece Puzzle

The Five-Piece Puzzle activity is one member of a family of challenging, multiple

solutions, dissection puzzles. These puzzles are geometric in nature and many, like the

one presented earlier, are modeled after tangrams, the best-known of the dissection

puzzles. Like tangrams, students can put the five pieces of this puzzle together into a

number of interesting shapes [18].

Figure 8. Puzzle Pieces from Cross

 Below are figures of the possible solutions to the puzzle. Arrow, bowl, fish, hammer,

house, rectangle, rocket, tree, and skyscraper are one of the many interesting solutions

of The Five-Piece Puzzle.

Figure 9. Possible Solutions of Five-Piece Puzzle

F. Shape Makers

Shape Makers is one of a large family of dissection puzzles that challenge students

to assemble a series of smaller shapes to form larger ones. In Shape Makers, four

squares and eight triangles must be reassembled to create a large square, a large

triangle, a parallelogram, and a trapezoid. While the main task is fairly simple, it has

many possibilities for more challenging extensions [18].

Figure 10. Puzzle pieces of Shape Makers

 The readers are challenged to create some shapes of their own and record them.

You may exchange your shapes with your classmates and let them solve these puzzles.

Figure 11. Possible Solutions of Shape Makers

 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter presents the summary and conclusions of the study and the

recommendations for future research about Geometric Dissection Puzzles.

Summary

The five Geometric Dissection Puzzles presented are closely related to each other

because they all come from the ancient puzzle from China, the Tangrams. Most of the

puzzles are open-ended puzzles which do not limit to a few solutions because with a

critical and imaginative mind, many other interesting shapes or figures can be created.

The puzzles are helpful in making a collaborative geometric classroom. The puzzles

are encouraged to be done individually by the students and after a specific time, every

solution of the students is then shared with each other so that those solutions that are

not discovered by others will be introduced to them. And in that sense, different

solutions will give other students additional knowledge that is possible for that puzzle.

The following are the Geometric Dissection Puzzles that are discussed in this

study:

1. Haberdasher’s Puzzle
2. Shape it Up
3. The Infinite 1
4. Hatching the Egg
5. The Five-Piece Puzzle
6. Shape Makers

Conclusions

Geometric Dissection Puzzles have so much to offer when it comes to enhancing

geometric lectures. It creates a more discovery-stimulated environment because of the

complex activities available for the students to conquer and enjoy. With all of the

puzzles presented, the researchers concluded that Geometric Dissection Puzzles are

really helpful in making critical thinkers, time-conscious, and spatial visualization-

inclined students. Acquiring all these skills will give them an advantage in learning

higher mathematics, especially geometry.

Recommendations

The following statements are recommended by the researchers to serve as a guide

for future studies to be conducted in Geometric Dissection Puzzles:

1. Explore more interesting solutions in Geometric Dissection Puzzles

2. Find out more Geometric Dissection Puzzles as instructional aids in teaching

Geometry

3. Use Geometric Dissection Puzzles as a tool in learning Geometry

4. Entrepreneurs may create their own dissection puzzles or use the examples in

this study to produce models of these puzzles for business.

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