Dinosaur maths quest: area
A story-led junior maths adventure using fossils, footprints and giant timelines to cover floors, gardens and maps with squares.
Quick answer
You can find the area of a shape by counting how many square units fit inside it, or by multiplying length by width for rectangles.
Learning outcome
By the end of this page, you will be able to find the area of rectangles by counting squares or multiplying length by width.
Success signs:
- You can count squares to find the area of a shape
- You can multiply length and width to find the area of a rectangle
- You can use the formula: area = length × width
- You can solve real-life problems involving area
Why this matters
Area helps us understand how much space shapes take up. In a Dinosaur maths quest, you might need to find the area of a dinosaur footprint, measure a fossil site, or work out how big a dinosaur garden needs to be. Knowing area helps you solve puzzles, plan your adventures, and make smart choices when building, gardening, or exploring.
How it works
Area is the amount of space inside a shape. To find area:
- Draw or imagine a shape
- Count how many square units fit inside it
- Or, for rectangles, multiply length by width
Think of area like covering a floor with square tiles. If you have a rectangle that is 4 tiles long and 3 tiles wide, you have 4 × 3 = 12 tiles total.
Examples you can see
Imagine you are a dinosaur explorer and you find a footprint. The footprint is 5 squares long and 3 squares wide.
| Length | Width | Area (squares) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 3 | 5 × 3 = 15 |
You can also draw a rectangle on grid paper and count the squares inside. If it's 6 squares long and 4 squares wide:
- Count all the squares: 6 × 4 = 24
- Or multiply: 6 × 4 = 24 square units
Another example: A dinosaur fossil site is 10 metres long and 5 metres wide. The area is:
- 10 × 5 = 50 square metres
This helps you know how much space you have to explore or how much area you need to protect.
Try it as a mini adventure
Dinosaur Quest: Find the Lost Garden
You are a young explorer in the age of dinosaurs. Your mission is to find a lost garden that was home to the biggest plants ever! The garden is shaped like a rectangle.
4th time: The garden is 8 squares long and 6 squares wide. What is the area?
5th time: You find a clue that says the garden is 12 squares long and 3 squares wide. What is the area?
6th time: You need to build a fence around the garden. If the garden is 7 squares long and 5 squares wide, how many square units of fence do you need?
7th time: The garden is 9 squares long and 4 squares wide. What is the area?
8th time: You found a map showing the garden is 10 squares long and 2 squares wide. What is the area?
9th time: The final clue says the garden is 11 squares long and 1 square wide. What is the area?
10th time: You have found the garden! It is 12 squares long and 1 square wide. What is the area?
Common mistakes
- Mistake: Forgetting to multiply length and width for rectangles.
Why it happens: The child sees a rectangle and only counts the sides.
Fix: Always remember to multiply length × width for rectangles.
- Mistake: Counting the edges instead of the inside space.
Why it happens: Children often count the outline of shapes instead of the area inside.
Fix: Draw a grid or use square tiles to help count the inside space.
- Mistake: Mixing up length and width.
Why it happens: It can be confusing which side is which.
Fix: Always measure from one side to the opposite side, and label length and width clearly.
Parent and carer guide
Help your child understand area by:
- Using everyday objects like books, boxes, or toys to explore area
- Playing with grid paper or drawing rectangles and counting squares
- Using real-life examples like measuring a room or a garden
- Practicing with multiplication to help them see how area connects to maths
- Encouraging them to explain their thinking when solving problems
Don't worry if they make mistakes – they're learning! Try to focus on the process, not just the answer.
Practice questions
- What is the area of a rectangle that is 4 squares long and 3 squares wide?
- A garden is 6 squares long and 5 squares wide. What is its area?
- How many square units are in a rectangle that is 7 squares long and 2 squares wide?
- A dinosaur footprint is 9 squares long and 3 squares wide. What is its area?
- What is the area of a rectangle that is 10 squares long and 4 squares wide?
Answers:
- 4 × 3 = 12 square units
- 6 × 5 = 30 square units
- 7 × 2 = 14 square units
- 9 × 3 = 27 square units
- 10 × 4 = 40 square units
FAQ
What is area?
Area is the amount of space inside a shape. It's like covering a floor with tiles and counting how many tiles you need.
How do you find the area of a rectangle?
You can count the squares inside, or multiply the length by the width. For example, a rectangle that is 5 squares long and 3 squares wide has an area of 5 × 3 = 15 square units.
Can you find area with any shape?
You can find the area of rectangles easily. For other shapes, like triangles or circles, there are special rules. But for now, we focus on rectangles.
Why do we need to know area?
Knowing area helps you plan things like gardens, rooms, or even dinosaur footprints. It's useful for solving puzzles, building, and exploring!
What if I don't have grid paper?
You can still imagine a grid or use square objects like blocks or tiles to help you count the area.