Task Analysis (Teachers Edition):

CCSS Mathematics Content Standard:

4.MD.A.3-Apply the area and perimeter formulas for rectangles in real world and mathematical
problems.
CCSS Mathematics Practice Standard:
Standard #4- Model with Mathematics
Enduring Understandings:
The formula for the area of a rectangle (length x width) and the formula for the perimeter
of a rectangle (2 x (length + width)) can be used to solve various real world problems.
Many tasks that are completed in various careers require employees to use the area and
perimeter formulas of a rectangle to solve problems. (Note- this EU doesnt necessarily
relate directly back to the CCSS, but is more of an extension of the first EU. My goal of
adding this EU is to help students notice many careers utilize this math concept and that
the performance task is an excellent example.)
When calculating the area of a rectangle, you use (length x width) and when calculating
the perimeter of a rectangle, you use (2 x (length+width)).
Essential Questions:
How can the area and perimeter formulas for rectangles be applied to real world
scenarios?
How are the area and perimeter formulas for rectangles used in the work place?
Why are the area and perimeter formulas for rectangles important?
Objectives/Learning Outcomes:
Students will be able to identify real-world & work place applications of the area &
perimeter formulas of a rectangle. (Objective #1)
Students will be able to apply the area & perimeter formulas to real life & work place
scenarios. (Objective #2)
Students will be able to successfully calculate using the area and perimeter formulas of a
rectangle & explain the process of using the area and perimeter formulas of a rectangle.
(Objective #3)
Materials:
Pencils
Each student needs a copy of the performance task packet
Access to internet for http://www.xpmath.com/careers/topicsresult.php?
subjectID=3&topicID=13
GRASPS:
Goal: To get hired by the Seneca Park Zoo as a landscape architect to determine the sizes of new
exhibits. In order to get hired, you must show that you know how to use the area & perimeter

formulas of rectangles, you have prior experience using the area & perimeter formulas of
triangles, and you understand how & why you will use the are & perimeter formulas in your job.
Role: You are a job applicant for the position of Seneca Park Zoos landscape architect.
Audience: The Seneca Park Zoo hiring panel that is in charge of hiring new employees.
Situation: The Seneca Park Zoo is adding new animal exhibits and needs a landscape architect to
determine the sizes of the exhibits.
Performance: You need to present in front of the Seneca Park Zoo hiring panel that you are
competent in using the area and perimeter formulas of rectangles. (See introduction page for
more information)
Standards:
Your presentation must meet the following criteria in order for you to receive final consideration
for the job:
You must give a thorough explanation of how you solved any TWO of the exercises.
(objective #2 and #3)
You must give a thorough explanation of how and why you will need to use the area and
perimeter formulas of a rectangle in your job. (objective #1)
You must briefly mention a career that you have worked in (prior experience) that
required you to use the area or the perimeter formulas. Be sure to include a brief
explanation of what responsibilities you had that required you to calculate area.
(objective #1)

The Zoo Expansion

A Performance Task

HELP WANTED- Landscape architect

Seneca Park Zoo is very excited to announce that they are planning to add some new animal
exhibits! Seneca Park Zoo hopes to add reindeer, belugas, foxes, giraffes, goats, flamingoes, and
other various animals. The Seneca Park Zoo also wants to enlarge the current exhibit for the
tigers and relocate the sea lions to be near the belugas. In order to complete these above tasks,
Seneca Park Zoo is looking to hire a landscape architect to determine the sizes of each exhibit.
You have submitted your resume for the job, and the person in charge of the hiring process has
passed you on to the next step of the application process! The next step of the application process
asks you to figure out preliminary sizes of select exhibits. The reason you are asked to calculate
preliminary sizes of select exhibits is to showcase your ability to perform the job that you may be
hired for! You will present your calculations to a hiring panel at Seneca Park Zoo. Once you have
shown that you are competent with the job duties, you will be hired as Seneca Park Zoos
landscape architect!
For the showcase that you will present to the hiring panel, you will need to discuss the
calculations that you have done. To prepare for this presentation, you will need to work through
the following exercises. Each exercise asks you to calculate preliminary sizes of select exhibits.
After you complete the following exercises, you will need to present to the hiring panel to
demonstrate that you are a good fit for the job. In your presentation, you will be asked to explain
how you solved any TWO calculations and explain how you would need to use mathematical
formulas in your job.
Your presentation must meet the following criteria in order for you to receive final consideration
for the job:
You must give a thorough explanation of how you solved any TWO of the exercises.
(objective #2 and #3)
You must give a thorough explanation of how and why you will need to use the area and
perimeter formulas of a rectangle in your job. (objective #1)
You must briefly mention a career that you have worked in (prior experience) that
required you to use the area or the perimeter formulas. Be sure to include a brief
explanation of what responsibilities you had that required you to calculate area.
(objective #1)
Good luck and I hope you get the job!

Exercise #1: The Foxes

Seneca Park Zoo is very excited to add foxes, one of the worlds most fascinating wild animals!
They hope to place the foxes next to the wolves. Please calculate the area of a possible fox
exhibit with the length of 15 yards and the width of 8 yards. Please be sure to show your work
and be sure to use the area formula of rectangles.
15 yards
8 yards

ANSWER: __________ yards

Exercise #2: The Goats

Goats are very interesting animals, and Seneca Park Zoo is excited for Rochester to be able to
observe them! The goats exhibit could potentially be 49 yards long and 34 yards wide. Please
calculate the perimeter of the goats exhibit by using the perimeter formula of rectangles. Be sure
to show your work.
34 yards

49 yards

ANSWER: ___________ yards

Exercise #3: The Flamingoes

Flamingoes are some of the most gracious creatures on planet Earth, and Seneca Park Zoo will
be adding them to their zoo family! Please calculate the area of a possible flamingo exhibit that
would be 24 yards long and 16 yards wide. Please calculate the area of the flamingoes exhibit by
using the area formula of rectangles. Be sure to show your work.
16 yards

24 yards

ANSWER: _____________ yards

Exercise #4: The Belugas

The Seneca Park Zoo is excited to add the belugas- they may even allow zoo visitors to touch
and interact with the belugas! Please calculate the perimeter of a potential aquarium for the
belugas with a length of 52 yards and a width of 30 yards. Please be sure to show your work and
be sure to use the perimeter formula of rectangles.
52 yards

30 yards

ANSWER: ___________ yards

Exercise #5: Prior Experience

Please go to this website: http://www.xpmath.com/careers/topicsresult.php?
subjectID=2&topicID=1
Pick any career that is listed under the management or the professional column. Once you have
identified a career that is listed under one of these two columns, click on the career and read the
brief description that is located at the top of the page. After you have read the description of the
career, use your imagination to think about how you may use the area or the perimeter formula of
rectangles in that particular job. A part of your presentation requires you to identify a job that you
have had in the past in which you used one of these two formulas. This exercise prepares you for
this part of the presentation. The career that you pick on this website will serve as the job that
you had that used these formulas.
Career chosen: ________________________________________________
How could you use the area or the perimeter formula of rectangles in this job?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Putting it All Together

Now it is time to take the five exercises that you have completed and write-out what you are
going to say during your presentation with the hiring panel. If you answer each question/prompt
thoroughly, you will be well prepared to present in front of the hiring panel. Remember, your
presentation will determine if you get the job, so be sure to be well prepared!
Please choose any TWO exercises from exercises #1-#4 and write-up a thorough explanation of
how you solved the area or perimeter problem. Your explanation should be a step-by-step process
of how you used the formula to solve the problem. Be sure to include how you plugged the
numbers into the formula, and how you knew which formula to use. Lastly, be sure to include the
specific formula that you used. Remember, the purpose of this is for you to show the hiring panel
that you are competent enough to calculate area and perimeter using the formulas!
#1)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
#2)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Using exercises #1-#4, think about how and why you will need to use the area and perimeter
formulas in your job as the landscape architect. To help you, think about what each exercise
asked you to do and how the exercises directly relate to your job duties.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Finally, take what you wrote in exercise #5 and write a brief narrative showing that you have
prior experience using the area and/or perimeter formula in a prior job. Employers are always
looking to hire people that have prior experience with the skills needed to perform the job duties
(in this case, those skills are using the area and perimeter formulas of a rectangle).
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Congratulations, you are well on your way to getting hired! The last and final step is for you to
present the above information (all three questions/prompts from the putting it all together
section) to the Seneca Park Zoo hiring panel.
Your presentation must include the following criteria in order for you to receive final
consideration for the job:
You must give a thorough explanation of how you solved any TWO of the exercises.
(objective #2 and #3)
You must give a thorough explanation of how and why you will need to use the area and
perimeter formulas of a rectangle in your job. (objective #1)
You must briefly mention a career that you have worked in (prior experience) that
required you to use the area or the perimeter formulas. Be sure to include a brief
explanation of what responsibilities you had that required you to calculate area.
(objective #1)

The Seneca Park Zoo hiring panel will use the following rubric to evaluate your responses in
your presentation:

Explanation of how
you solved any two
area/perimeter
scenarios (objective
#2 and #3)

Explanation of how
& why you will need
to use the area and
perimeter formulas of
a rectangle in your
job (objective #1)

Explanation of prior
experience using the
area or perimeter
formula (objective
#1)

Proficient
Explanation
thoroughly goes
through the step-bystep process that you
used to solve the
problems. You clearly
knew which formula
to use and you
included the formula
that was used. Both
calculations are
correct. You have
shown that you are
competent in the
skills needed for the
job.
Explanation relates
directly to the job and
you show that you
understand how &
why you will use
these formulas in
your job.
Explanation shows
clear evidence of the
usage of the area or
perimeter formula.

Developing
Explanation provides
steps that you used to
solve the problems,
but some steps may
be vague or missing.
You knew which
formula to use and
you included the
formula used. At least
one of the two
calculations are
correct. You have
shown that you are
somewhat competent
in the skills needed
for the job.
Explanation
somewhat relates to
the job, but may miss
the mark. You
somewhat understand
how & why you will
use the formulas in
your job.
Explanation shows
somewhat clear
evidence of the usage
of the area or
perimeter formula.

**You must land in proficient in 2 of the 3 areas in order to be hired**

Not acceptable
Explanation does not
include any steps
used to solve the
problems. You may
have mixed up the
area and the
perimeter formulas,
and/or the formulas
are not included.
Both calculations are
incorrect. You have
not shown that you
are competent in the
skills needed for the
job.
Explanation does not
relate to the job and
you do not
understand how &
why you will use the
formulas in your job.

Explanation does not

show evidence of the
usage of the area or
perimeter formula.