Congruent Shapes Puzzle
This blog post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
In this Congruent Shapes Puzzle, students are given two colors of puzzle pieces. The task is to arrange the two colors of pieces to form two congruent shapes. You can rotate pieces and flip them over but not overlap them.
This Congruent Shapes Puzzle is the creation of the brilliant Erich Friedman and can be found in Puzzle Box, Volume 2, one of the books in my favorite series of puzzle books. It was this series of puzzle books that convinced me I should be using puzzles in my classroom.
In addition to publishing puzzles in books, Erich Friedman also has thousands of free puzzles on his website! If you love puzzles, I highly recommend taking a look around his Puzzle Palace!
I have featured several of Erich’s other puzzles before on the blog. Some of these include Arrows, Ducks and Snakes, 577 = 11111, and Plus Times Puzzles.
For this puzzle, you will need to print a set of instructions as well as the puzzle pieces on two separate colors of paper.
I printed the pieces on regular colored copy paper, laminated the pages, and then cut out the pieces.
I printed the puzzle pieces on regular colored paper before laminating them, but you could also print them on cardstock.
MATH = LOVE RECOMMENDS…
A laminator is a MUST-HAVE for me as a math teacher! I spent my first six years as a teacher at a school with a broken laminator, so I had to find a way to laminate things myself.
I’ve had several laminators over the years. I currently use a Scotch laminator at home and a Swingline laminator at school.
I highly recommend splurging a bit on the actual laminator and buying the cheapest laminating pouches you can find!
Free Download of Congruent Shapes Puzzle
Congruent Shapes Puzzle (PDF) (2964 downloads )
Congruent Shapes Puzzle (Editable Publisher File ZIP) (1190 downloads )
Want even more puzzles? Check out my puzzles page!
Puzzle Solutions
I intentionally do not make answers to the printable math puzzles I share on my blog available online because I strive to provide learning experiences for my students that are non-google-able. I would like other teachers to be able to use these puzzles in their classrooms as well without the solutions being easily found on the Internet.
However, I do recognize that us teachers are busy people and sometimes need to quickly reference an answer key to see if a student has solved a puzzle correctly or to see if they have interpreted the instructions properly.
If you are a teacher who is using these puzzles in your classroom, please send me an email at sarah@mathequalslove.net with information about what you teach and where you teach. I will be happy to forward an answer key to you.
Hi Sarah.
This is fantastic! I enjoy these types of activities so I can watch the thinking of my students evolve as they work together to figure out a solution. Do you typically have students complete puzzles like this in a collaborative setting? Or is this an activity students can attempt in moments with extra time? I feel as though puzzles can provide lots of team building opportunities.
Thank you for sharing!
Sometimes I do puzzles as a whole-class activity with students working in groups. This often happens during the first week of school when students are getting to know the students they are sitting with. I also tend to do these whole group puzzles for special holidays. For example, I have a Pi Day Puzzle I like to use each year. Throughout the rest of the year, I post a Puzzle of the Week for students to attempt on their own or in a group if they choose. Students tend to work on these before class, after class, or if they finish early.
Hi there,
Do you post the answers for these puzzles anywhere? They are wonderful!
Just sent you an email, Susie!
Yes… the puzzles are AWESOME! Do you post the solutions? I have designated a spot on a side board for a Puzzle of the Week this year and so far, students have enjoyed trying to find the solutions. I am sure I could sit down and come up with the solutions, but so far, I just have not had the time 🙂
Hello,
I would love the solution to the Congruent Shapes Puzzle.
I am struggling and my students will be here shortly!
Thank you so much.
Christine
Sent you an email, Christine!
Hi Sarah,
May I get the answer to the puzzle please?
Thank you.
Email sent!
Can I also get the answer to this.
Sent you an email!
puzzling!
Can I also have the solution to the congruent shapes puzzle? Thanks!
Emailed you, Katie!
My students are having so much fun working through your puzzles. Thanks!
Thank you for posting these puzzles! I have loved using them in my classroom.
Thank you Amy!
Working on this with my 6th graders and they’re stuck!
Enjoying the puzzles!
Are there answers to these puzzles that you could please send to me?
Sent you an email, Caryn!
Please please send me the answer!!!
Sent you an email!
Hello Sarah,
I am looking to add this puzzle to my curriculum but I can’t find the answer to this problem on the website. Could you please email me the answer?
Thank you,
Eli
Thanks for the great puzzles!
Can you email the answer to me too please!
Sent you an email!
Sarah,
My middle schoolers are enjoying a new puzzle every Monday morning. I have purchased a couple of the books you have taken puzzles from, but not this one. Could I please have a solution also? Thanks!
Sent you an email, Sharon!
Hi, Sarah, I found a solution but am curious if it’s the same as yours. Thanks!
PS I’m also doing a Puzzle of the Week, and it seems like a great addition to the room. Thank you!
Would love the solution to this one too please.
Just sent you an email, Cheryll!
Hello!! My students are also struggling with this puzzle. Your website is an inspiration! Thank you!!!! Thank you!!
Are the colors allowed to mix? Or should they create a polygon out of each color separately and those have to be congruent?
The colors should not mix. Create a polygon out of each color separately.
Could I have the solution to this puzzle as well? We are all stuck!
Sent you an email, Andrea!
This is a good one!
Thanks!
Many thanks for your awesome puzzles from my grade 8 class in Burlington, ON
Could we have the solution to this puzzle? We’ve been trying to figure it out in class for days!
I unfortunately do not share the solutions with students. Please have your teacher reach out to me if they would like the solution.
Thank you for sharing! My middle school kids love working with puzzles and brain teasers! Thank you!
I laminated this puzzle and put a couple of them on my whiteboard. The students are obsessed with it and work on it when they’re finished with their assignment. We are all dying to know the solution.
I’ve been doing these puzzles every week since school started, but this one has us all stumped! It’s been up over a week and nobody has figured it out!