Area of Composite Shapes (Grade 6)
A composite shape is made of simpler shapes joined together (like an L-shape = two rectangles). Find its area by splitting it into rectangles (and triangles), finding each piece's area, and adding them up. Sometimes it's easier to find a big rectangle and subtract a missing corner.
Understanding area of composite shapes
A composite shape is made of simpler shapes joined together (like an L-shape = two rectangles). Find its area by splitting it into rectangles (and triangles), finding each piece's area, and adding them up. Sometimes it's easier to find a big rectangle and subtract a missing corner.
Key Idea
A composite shape is made of simpler shapes joined together (like an L-shape = two rectangles). Find its area by splitting it into rectangles (and triangles), finding each piece's area, and adding them up. Sometimes it's easier to find a big rectangle and subtract a missing corner.
Seeing it in action
Worked example
An L-shape splits into a 4×2 rectangle and a 2×3 rectangle. Total area?
4×2 = 8 and 2×3 = 6. Add: 8 + 6 = 14 square units.
Split the shape, then add the pieces.
Try a few
Two rectangles, 3×3 and 3×2 — total area?
A 5×5 square with a 2×2 corner removed — area?
25 − 4.
A 6×2 and a 2×2 joined — area?
Perimeter Patrol
A calm tile-grid game for building and reading area and perimeter.
Ready for the interactive lab?
Practice area of composite shapes in Numeris with instant feedback.
Put the reasoning on paper.
Try six fraction, angle, perimeter and area questions with explained answers, for grades 4–6.
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