Submarine maths quest: area

Quick answer

You can find the area of a shape by counting how many square units fit inside it, or by using a simple formula for rectangles and squares.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will understand how to find the area of a shape by counting squares or using multiplication.

• You can count squares to find the area of any shape
• You can use the formula length × width to find the area of rectangles and squares
• You can imagine how many square units fit inside a shape
• You can solve problems about area in real life, like planning a garden or designing a submarine

Why this matters

Knowing how to find the area helps you in many fun and important ways! When you're building with blocks, planning a garden, or even designing a submarine, you need to know how much space you have. Area helps you understand how much room a shape takes up, which is useful for everything from sharing snacks to building cool things. It's like being a space explorer who needs to know how much space they have in their submarine!

How it works

Let's imagine you're on a submarine adventure! To find the area of a shape, you can:

1. Count how many small squares fit inside the shape
2. Use multiplication if it's a rectangle or square

Think of area like covering a floor with tiles. If you have a square room, you can count how many tiles fit along one side, then multiply that by how many tiles fit along the other side. That gives you the total number of tiles needed to cover the floor!

Examples you can see

Let's go on a submarine quest to find the area of different parts of the submarine!

Example 1: The Control Room

Imagine the control room is a rectangle that is 5 units long and 3 units wide. To find the area:

• Count the squares: 5 × 3 = 15 squares
• Use the formula: length × width = area
• 5 × 3 = 15 square units

Example 2: The Observation Window

The window is a square with sides of 4 units.

• Count the squares: 4 × 4 = 16 squares
• Use the formula: 4 × 4 = 16 square units

Example 3: The Storage Compartment

This one is a rectangle that is 6 units long and 2 units wide.

• Count the squares: 6 × 2 = 12 squares
• Use the formula: 6 × 2 = 12 square units

Example 4: The Submarine's Hull

The hull is a rectangle that is 10 units long and 4 units wide.

• Count the squares: 10 × 4 = 40 squares
• Use the formula: 10 × 4 = 40 square units

Example 5: The Lab

The lab is a rectangle that is 8 units long and 5 units wide.

• Count the squares: 8 × 5 = 40 squares
• Use the formula: 8 × 5 = 40 square units

Try it as a mini adventure

Let's go on a submarine quest to find the area of different parts of the submarine!

Adventure 1: The Control Room

You're exploring the control room. It's 5 units long and 3 units wide. How many square units of floor space do you have to move around?

1. Count the squares along the length: 5 squares
2. Count the squares along the width: 3 squares
3. Multiply: 5 × 3 = 15 square units

Adventure 2: The Lab

You're in the lab which is 8 units long and 5 units wide. What's the area?

1. Count the squares along the length: 8 squares
2. Count the squares along the width: 5 squares
3. Multiply: 8 × 5 = 40 square units

Adventure 3: The Observation Deck

You're on the observation deck. It's a square with sides of 6 units. What's the area?

1. Count the squares along one side: 6 squares
2. Count the squares along the other side: 6 squares
3. Multiply: 6 × 6 = 36 square units

Adventure 4: The Storage Area

You're in the storage area. It's 7 units long and 4 units wide. What's the area?

1. Count the squares along the length: 7 squares
2. Count the squares along the width: 4 squares
3. Multiply: 7 × 4 = 28 square units

Adventure 5: The Engine Room

You're in the engine room. It's 9 units long and 3 units wide. What's the area?

1. Count the squares along the length: 9 squares
2. Count the squares along the width: 3 squares
3. Multiply: 9 × 3 = 27 square units

Common mistakes

• Mistake: Forgetting to multiply and just adding the numbers together.
• Why it happens: Kids might think "area" means "add these numbers" instead of "multiply".
• Fix: Remember that area is how much space is inside a shape. You need to multiply length by width.

• Mistake: Confusing length and width when measuring.
• Why it happens: Sometimes it's hard to tell which side is longer or shorter.
• Fix: Always measure from one side to the other, and remember that it doesn't matter which you call length or width.

• Mistake: Not counting the units properly when drawing squares.
• Why it happens: Kids might count the lines instead of the squares, or miss some squares.
• Fix: Count each square carefully, and you can use a ruler to make sure you're measuring correctly.

Parent and carer guide

Help your child understand area by:

1. Using everyday objects like floor tiles, books, or a piece of paper to show how area works
2. Playing with grid paper or graph paper to draw shapes and count squares
3. Practicing with real-life situations like planning a garden or room layout
4. Encouraging them to draw their own shapes and calculate the area
5. Being patient if they make mistakes – it's part of learning!

Ask questions like:

• How many tiles would you need to cover your bedroom floor?
• Can you draw a rectangle that's 4 units long and 3 units wide?
• What's the area of your lunch box?

Remember: area is about space, not just numbers. Let your child explore and play with the idea!

Practice questions

1. What is the area of a rectangle that is 6 units long and 4 units wide?
2. What is the area of a square with sides of 5 units?
3. What is the area of a rectangle that is 8 units long and 2 units wide?
4. What is the area of a square with sides of 3 units?
5. What is the area of a rectangle that is 7 units long and 5 units wide?

Answers:

1. 6 × 4 = 24 square units
2. 5 × 5 = 25 square units
3. 8 × 2 = 16 square units
4. 3 × 3 = 9 square units
5. 7 × 5 = 35 square units

FAQ

What is area?

Area is how much space is inside a shape. You can think of it like covering a floor with tiles – the area tells you how many tiles you need.

How do I find the area of a rectangle?

To find the area of a rectangle, multiply the length by the width. For example, a rectangle that is 5 units long and 3 units wide has an area of 5 × 3 = 15 square units.

How do I find the area of a square?

A square is a special rectangle where all sides are the same length. To find the area of a square, multiply the length of one side by itself. For example, a square with sides of 4 units has an area of 4 × 4 = 16 square units.

Can I find the area of any shape?

You can find the area of simple shapes like rectangles and squares by counting squares or using multiplication. For more complex shapes, you might need to break them into smaller shapes first.

Why is area important?

Knowing area helps you in many ways – like planning a garden, designing a room, or even exploring the deep ocean in a submarine! It helps you understand how much space you have.