Free-Standing Mathematics Activity

Perimeter
and area

© Nuffield Foundation 2011

 How much lawn feed
do I need?
How much edging
do I need to go around The gardener
the lawn?
needs to work
out the
perimeter and
the area of
the lawn

© Nuffield Foundation 2011

The perimeter of a shape is the total length of its sides

length
Perimeter of a rectangle
= length + width width
width
+ length + width

5m length

lawn 3m Perimeter of this lawn

= 5 + 3 + 5 + 3 = 16 m

Think about
Is there another way to find the
© Nuffield Foundation 2011
perimeter?
 Area

Area measures the surface of something

1 metre
1 cm 1 mm

1 metre 1 m2 1 cm 1 cm 2 1 mm 1 mm2

1 square metre

© Nuffield Foundation 2011

 Area of a rectangular lawn

5 metres long

3 metres wide

The area is 15 square metres = 15 m2

Area of a rectangle = length × width

© Nuffield Foundation 2011
 Area of rectangle = length × width

65 m

Area of field = 65 × 32
field 32 m
= 2080 m2

21 cm

Area of the page = 30 × 21

page 30 cm
= 630 cm2

© Nuffield Foundation 2011

 To find the perimeter of this L-shaped room

Think about
3m What else is
needed?
1.5 m

4.5 m 2.2 m
3m Perimeter
3 + 1.5 + 2.2 + 3
+ 5.2 + 4.5 = 19.4 m
5.2 m

© Nuffield Foundation 2011

 To find the area of this L-shaped room

Think about
3m How can we do
this?
1.5 m

4.5 m A 2.2 m
Area of A = 4.5 × 3
3m = 13.5 m2
B

Area of B = 3 × 2.2
5.2 m = 6.6 m2

Total area = 13.5 + 6.6 = 20.1 m2

© Nuffield Foundation 2011
 To find the area of this L-shaped room

Another way
3m

A 1.5 m Area of A = 3 × 1.5

4.5 m 2.2 m = 4.5 m2
B 3m
Area of B = 5.2 × 3
= 15.6 m2
5.2 m

Total area = 4.5 + 15.6 = 20.1 m2

© Nuffield Foundation 2011
 To find the area of this L-shaped room

Yet another way!

3m

1.5 m Area of
large rectangle = 5.2 × 4.5
4.5 m 2.2 m
= 23.4 m2
3m
Area of
small rectangle = 2.2 × 1.5
5.2 m = 3.3 m2
Think about
Total area = 23.4 − 3.3 = 20.1 m2 Which way was
best?
© Nuffield Foundation 2011
 At the end of the activity

• What does the word ‘perimeter’ mean?

• How do you find the perimeter of a shape?
• What units are used for perimeters?
• How do you find the area of a shape?
• What units are used for areas?
• How would you find
the area of this Car park
shape? Play area Carpet Mirror
surround

© Nuffield Foundation 2011