Choose exam board for KS4 Computer Science (GCSE)
Choose exam board for KS4 English
Choose exam board for KS4 French
Choose exam board for KS4 Geography
Choose exam board for KS4 German
Choose exam board for KS4 History
Choose tier for KS4 Maths
Choose exam board for KS4 Music
Choose exam board for KS4 Physical education (GCSE)
Choose exam board for KS4 Religious education (GCSE)
Choose exam board for KS4 Spanish

      Problem solving with perimeter and area

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can use my knowledge of perimeter and area to solve problems.

      Key learning points

      1. Problems in context involving perimeter can be solved.
      2. Problems in context involving area can be solved.
      3. The units of measurement should be the same.

      Keywords

      • Area - The area is the size of the surface and states the number of unit squares needed to completely cover that surface.

      • Perimeter - The perimeter is the distance around a 2D shape.

      Common misconception

      Pupils may struggle to determine whether a question is asking about the perimeter or the area.

      Encourage pupils to draw a diagram to represent the situation as this can make it clearer as to whether perimeter or area is required.

      Teacher tip

      In the final section of the lesson, it can be beneficial for pupils to draw accurate versions of the potential squares to see that they are not squares if the conversion of the units means the measurements are different.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

      Loading...

      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Distance can be measured using ...

      Correct answer: metres
      acres
      litres
      tonne

      Q2.
      1 m is equivalent to

      10 cm
      Correct answer: 100 cm
      1000 cm
      10 000 cm

      Q3.
      1 cm is equivalent to

      Correct answer: 10 mm
      100 mm
      1000 mm
      10 000 mm

      Q4.
      5 m is equivalent to cm

      Correct Answer: 500, 500 cm, five hundred, five hundred cm

      Q5.
      37 mm is equivalent to cm

      Correct Answer: 3.7, 3.7 cm

      Q6.
      1284 cm is equivalent to ______ m

      128.4
      Correct answer: 12.84
      1.284

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      The perimeter of this shape is 82 cm. What is the area? (You do not need to state the units.)

      An image in a quiz
      Correct Answer: 319, 319 cm$$^2$$

      Q2.
      The area of a given square is 144 cm$$^2$$. What is the perimeter?

      Correct Answer: 48, 48 cm

      Q3.
      A groundskeeper walks around the boarder of the park he looks after. How far does he walk?

      An image in a quiz
      Correct Answer: 460 m, 460

      Q4.
      Andeep is helping his family to lay a new carpet. How much carpet is needed to cover the floor of the room? (You do not need to state the units.)

      An image in a quiz
      Correct Answer: 11.25, 11.25 m$$^2$$

      Q5.
      Calculate the perimeter of the rectangle.

      An image in a quiz
      36.6 m
      318 cm
      339 m
      Correct answer: 636 cm

      Q6.
      Calculate the area of the triangle (do not state the units, you can give your answer in either $$cm^2$$ or $$m^2$$).

      An image in a quiz
      Correct Answer: 326 000, 326000, 32.6

      To help you plan your 7 maths lesson on: Problem solving with perimeter and area, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...