Finding the Pieces – 3
A trapezoid is a four-sided figure that has exactly one pair of parallel sides (parallel lines in a surface are lines that never meet). A parallelogram is a four-sided figure that has two pairs of parallel sides. A rectangle is a four-sided figure with four right angles. A square is a rectangle with four equal sides. A right triangle is a triangle with a right angle.
THE CHALLENGE
Break this figure up using trapezoids, parallelograms, rectangles, squares and right triangles. Use as few pieces as you can.
EXPLORATION
How many ways can you find to do this using this fewest number of pieces?
Notes
THE CHALLENGE
Here are two ways to break this drawing into four figures. The answer on the left uses a square, a parallelogram, a right triangle, and a rectangle. The answer on the right uses a square, two trapezoids, and a rectangle. There are other answers, such as changing the first answer by turning the square and parallelogram into a trapezoid and a right triangle. How many answers can your students find?
