Name:_________________________ Date: ____________________________

Building Perfect Squares and Cubes Activity

Take one block from your table. Is this a Take one block from your table. Is this a
perfect square? Why or why not? perfect cube? Why or why not?

Now take another block from your table. Now take another block from your table.
Try to make a perfect square with 2 blocks. Try to make a perfect cube with 2 blocks.

Did it work? Why/Why not? Did it work? Why/Why not?

Try different numbers of blocks to create Try different numbers of blocks to create
perfect squares. Complete the chart to perfect cubes. Complete the chart to show
show what number of blocks make a what number of blocks make a perfect
perfect square, and which do not. cube, and which do not.

Number Perfect Length of sides of Number Perfect Length of sides of

of blocks square? square (If perfect of blocks cube? Y/N cube (If perfect cube)
Y/N square)
1 Yes 1x1 1 Yes 1x1x1
2 2

What is the pattern you notice? What is the pattern you notice?

Take one of your perfect squares from your Take one of your perfect cubes from your
chart. Show the relationship between the chart. Show the relationship between the
side lengths of the square and the area of side lengths of the cube and the volume of
the square using a square root. the cube using a cube root.