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SS.1 Count squares to find the area of shapes

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What is area?

Area is the amount of space a shape covers on a flat surface. We measure area by counting the number of squares inside a shape.

Examples:
  • A square with 1 unit square inside has an area of 1 square unit.
  • A rectangle that covers 6 unit squares has an area of 6 square units.
Note

Always measure area in square units because you are counting squares, not just numbers.

How do we find area?

To find the area of a shape, count all the squares inside it. Each square must be the same size (1 unit square).

Steps:
  • Draw or imagine the shape on grid paper.
  • Count the number of unit squares the shape covers.
  • The total number of unit squares is the area.
Note

Make sure you only count full squares inside the shape. Do not count the spaces outside the edges.

How can we identify unit squares?

A unit square is a square that has sides of length 1 unit. We use unit squares to measure area.

Examples:
  • If you see a grid, each small square is 1 unit square.
  • A rectangle that is 2 units long and 3 units wide will cover 6 unit squares.
Note

Think of unit squares like tiles on a floor. Counting tiles helps you know how much space the shape takes up.

Using area in real life

We use area to measure how much space something covers, like a rug, a garden, or a classroom floor.

Examples:
  • A rug that covers 12 unit squares has an area of 12 square units.
  • A garden shaped like a rectangle covers 20 unit squares, so its area is 20 square units.
Note

Using area helps you compare spaces. A larger area means more space is covered.