Question

A child accidentally drops a square ceramic tile. It breaks into smaller pieces as shown in Figure P. To avoid a scolding, she plans to compose a mural of broken pieces to gift to her mother. Which figure out of the given options could she make?

• A. A
• B. B
• C. C
• D. D

Hint:

In Tangram-like puzzles, first identify and count the component shapes. Then, look for these same components within the target figures. It's often helpful to start by placing the largest pieces first in your mental construction.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This is a visual puzzle, similar to a Tangram. The task is to determine which of the figures (A, B, C, D) can be constructed using all the pieces from the broken tile (P) without any overlaps or leftover pieces. This is a test of conservation of area and shape recognition.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The set of pieces in P consists of the seven classic Tangram shapes:

2 large right triangles
1 medium right triangle
2 small right triangles
1 square
1 parallelogram
We need to mentally disassemble each option to see if it is composed of this exact set of pieces.

Option A (Bird): While it resembles a Tangram figure, the proportions, especially of the body, do not seem to correctly accommodate all seven pieces.
Option B (Swan): The long neck and body are difficult to construct with the given pieces. This is a known Tangram paradox; some shapes are impossible.
Option C (Person Walking): This is a classic, well-known Tangram construction. The pieces fit as follows: The two large triangles form the body and one leg. The medium triangle forms the head. The square and one small triangle form the other leg/foot. The parallelogram forms the arm, and the remaining small triangle forms the other foot. All seven pieces are used perfectly.
Option D (Person Running): This shape, particularly the pointed features and thin limbs, is difficult to form and is not a standard Tangram solution.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Option C is a verifiable and standard Tangram figure that can be made using the seven pieces from the broken tile.