Math Foundations
Determine the smallest or largest possible perimeter given a fixed area, and determine the smallest or largest possible area given a fixed perimeter.
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After completing this tutorial, you will be able to complete the following:
Area
Area is the measurement of interior space of a two-dimensional shape, or the surface of three-dimensional figure; it is the amount of surface a shape covers. Area is measured in square units. The area of the rectangle can be calculated using the following formula: A = l × w, where l represents the length and w represents the width.
For the shape above, the length equals 4 units and the width equals 3 units. A = l × w
A = 4 × 3 = 12 square units
Perimeter
Perimeter is the length of the boundary of the shape. It can be calculated adding the measurements of each side. For a rectangle, it can be calculated using the following formula: P = l + w + l + w, or P = 2l + 2w.
For the shape above, the length equals 4 units and the width equals 3 units.P = 4 + 3 + 4 + 3 P = (2 × 4) + (2 × 3) = 14 units
Area and perimeter of irregular shapes
If irregular shapes are drawn on grid paper, as in the Activity Object, you can use the grid to help you calculate the area and perimeter.
Approximate Time | 20 Minutes |
Pre-requisite Concepts | Students should know the definitions of area and perimeter. |
Course | Math Foundations |
Type of Tutorial | Concept Development |
Key Vocabulary | area, perimeter, shape |