Step 4 Objective

Understand and use the formula in words 'length × breadth' for the area of a rectangle.

Examples of what pupils should know and be able to do

Probing questions

Show me something that has an area of approximately 100 cm². What did you use to help you?

Estimate the area of the front cover of this paperback book. How did you go about doing that?

Can you tell me a rule for working out the area of a rectangle? Will it work for all rectangles?

If the area of a rectangle is 32 cm², what are the lengths of the sides? Are there other possible answers? How did you work that out?

Tim says a square with sides of 8 cm has an area of 32 cm². Do you agree with him? Why?

What if pupils find this a barrier?

Pupils may need to go back to counting squares, using an acetate grid.

TL4Y7 Shape, space and measures 1 S1.2 - Acrobat pdf document (40Kb) is a useful lesson for this topic.