New
New
Year 5

Choose an efficient way to decompose a compound shape to calculate the area

I can choose the most effective way to decompose a shape into rectangles in order to calculate the area.

New
New
Year 5

Choose an efficient way to decompose a compound shape to calculate the area

I can choose the most effective way to decompose a shape into rectangles in order to calculate the area.

warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Different methods for finding the area of compound rectilinear shapes will work in different situations.
  2. Compound rectilinear shapes can be split in different ways in order to calculate the area.
  3. Compare different methods to decompose shapes and decide which is the most efficient.

Keywords

  • Compound - A compound shape is made up of two or more shapes.

Common misconception

That a shape always has to be split into smaller shapes in order to calculate the area.

Show different ways to calculate area using the same shape. It can be split in different ways, completed and an area subtracted or a part cut and fitted into a gap.

This lesson explores different ways to calculate the area of the same shape. The aim is that pupils think about the shape to decide which the most efficient strategy will be. This will include splitting shapes into smaller ones but consider subtraction strategies and rearranging shapes.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
x 9 = 63
Correct Answer: 7, seven
Q2.
This compound shape is made from a large square and a smaller rectangle. Which multiplication facts could you use to help find the total area of this shape?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: 5 x 3
7 x 3
Correct answer: 7 x 7
5 x 7
Q3.
Which of these is NOT a compound rectilinear shape?
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q4.
Which of the statements are true?
An image in a quiz
c is 10 cm long
Correct answer: d is equal to side f subtract 6
Correct answer: Side e plus side c is equal to 16 cm
d is 4 cm long
Q5.
What is the total area of this compound shape?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 74 cm², 74
Q6.
What is the total area?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 61 cm², 61

6 Questions

Q1.
A shape is made up of two or more shapes. Complete the statement.
Correct Answer: compound, Compound, COMPOUND
Q2.
True or False. This is the only way to split the compound shape into two rectangles.
An image in a quiz
True
Correct answer: False
Q3.
What is the length of the missing side?
An image in a quiz
10 cm
12 cm
Correct answer: 11 cm
9 cm
Q4.
Match the image to the strategy.
An image in a quiz
16 cm² + 56 cm² = 27 cm²
24 cm² + 48 cm² = 72 cm²
Correct answer: 84 cm² - 12 cm² = 72 cm²
Q5.
Which calculation would you use to find the area of this shape in the way it has been split into rectangles?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: 18 cm² + 6 cm² = 24 cm²
18 cm² - 6 cm² = 12 cm²
Correct answer: 6 cm² + 18 cm² = 24 cm²
Q6.
Which pair of multiplications will help calculate the area of this compound rectilinear shape?
An image in a quiz
3 x 12 and 5 x 9
Correct answer: 3 x 12 and 5 x 6
5 x 9 and 3 x 12
Correct answer: 5 x 9 and 3 x 7