The tangram (Chinese: 七巧板; pinyin: qīqiǎobǎn; literally: 'seven boards of skill') is a dissection puzzle consisting of seven flat shapes, called tans, which are put together to form shapes. The objective of the puzzle is to form a certain shape (given only an outline or silhouette) using all seven pieces, which can not overlap. It is reputed to have been invented in China during the Song Dynasty,[1] and then carried over to Europe by trading ships in the early 19th century. It became very popular in Europe for a time then, and then again during World War I. It is one of the most popular dissection puzzles in the world.[2][3] A Chinese psychologist has termed the tangram "the earliest psychological test in the world".
