Saturday, February 08, 2014

Tetra-Tarsia

I had always assumed that the hexagonal tarsia were the coolest (start with triangles – make a hexagon – you can’t complain about that!).  A couple of weeks ago I discovered that the triangular ones are maybe even cooler.  Having finished the big triangle (and taped the pieces together rather than sticking them onto a piece of paper) pupils can then fold it up to make a tetrahedron.  First of all, few seem to realise that this is feasible (“so a triangle is really a net of a pyramid?”) but earlier finishers can also create their own question/answer combinations to go on the blank parts of the triangle that will be stuck together.


The one shown above comes from MrBartonMaths on TES.

Next step – I wonder if I can make my own ones with questions/answers on every side of the triangles so that it will make a complete tetrahedron.  Will pupils be able to work it out?

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