Shape and Space Training
Puzzles are great at testing numerical and logical skills, and also developing our creativity.Another area where puzzles are particularly strong in helping to train the brain is with regard to shape and space, and testing and improving our spatial awareness.
By making us consider and examine various shapes and objects, how they can be rotated, how they fit together, how they tesselate or can be split, and how various shapes can be manipulated, these puzzles are excellent for developing our sense of shape and space and the 3D world within which we live. As such, the mental exercise that these 'mind gym' puzzles provide are excellent.
Here is a sample shape and space brain training puzzle. See how quickly you can work out the answer to this question.
Split the shape below into four equal regions, which you can consider to be composed of three identical squares. Each shape must be identical with the same area, though the shapes may be rotated.
Some will see the solution straight away, whilst for others it might be more of a struggle. If you look for several minutes but cannot work it out, then here are some suggestions as to how to proceed with this shape and space teaser. Note that the shape is composed of three squares of equal size. Therefore you know that the area of each shape you divide into will be 3/4 of a square. So one method to proceed would be to experiment with possible shapes that are each 3/4 of a square in total, and see if these can fit together. Something that can 'slot' together to end up forming the three squares is what you are aiming for. Can you solve the shape and space puzzle?
