Idea 10of 22Builds on10 millimetres make 1 centimetre
Area is measured in squares
How do you measure how much surface something covers?
Today you'll discover
- what one square unit is
- how squares cover a surface
- when to use big or small squares
Think firstA sticky note, 7 cm by 5 cm
Which unit measures how much paper the sticky note covers?
Decide first, then press Next. Look at the whole surface, not just one edge.
A yellow sticky note, 7 cm by 5 cm. One square in its corner is marked 1 cm², a square 1 cm on each side. Then 5 rows of 7 squares cover it, and the count reads 7 × 5 = 35: 35 cm². The last step shows a classroom floor, 9 m by 7 m.
See the whole ideathe big idea and the key word, in one place
The big idea
Area is measured in squares: cm² for small surfaces, m² for big ones.
Compare themLength is measured along a line, in cm or m. Area covers a surface, in cm² or m².
Squares that fitA stamp or a tablet screen: cm². A classroom or a soccer field: m².
Key words
- square centimetre
- a square 1 cm on each side, written cm²
- square metre
- a square 1 m on each side, written m²
Ready to use it?
- Choose cm² or m² for a surface.
- Count square units to find an area.