Latest update to this document: 14 November 1995
Lets start by explaining what area is: area can be defined as the space inside an object. The shaded in portion of the object would be considered area. (Refer to example A.)
Example A:
Area is measured in square units. A unit can be thought of as any form of measurement such as inches, centimeters and so on. For this exercise we will define example B as a square unit.
Example B:
Area need not consist of only one unit. In example C, you can find the area of the object by counting each square unit.
Example C:
The area of this object is 12 square units.
We have already defined the square in the upper right hand corner of example D as a square unit.
The shaded area within the square below it represents one half of a square unit.
The shaded in area of the lower left hand corner represents a square unit because it is half of two square units.
Example D:
The method we have used throughout this exercise is often refered to as the "fill and count" method.
One way of figuring out the area of an object that does not easily fit into a square model, we will call the "surround and uncount method". Here is how this works:
1. Count the entire area.
2. Count the area that is not part of the object.
3. Subtract the area that is not part of the object from the entire area.
Example E
In example E, here is how we found the area of the object.
Entire area = 16
Area not part of the object = 13
Area of the object = 3
With the methods listed above you should be able to find the area of many different objects.
Link to Nicole Paquette's Home Page
Link to Sheila Hudson's Home Page
Sheila A. Hudson:SHUDSON@nmu.edu
Nicole M. Paquette:NPAQUETT@nmu.edu.