Idea 6of 22Builds onFence or floor: which measure?
Square units for area, plain units for perimeter
Why does area come in square units and perimeter does not?
Today you'll discover
- what 1 m² looks like
- why perimeter is in plain metres
- when to use cm² or m²
Think firstThe garden again: 6 m by 4 m
Which is the right way to write the garden's area?
Decide first, then press Next. Look at the little ² after the unit.
The 6 m by 4 m garden. A single tinted square is marked 1 m² and a short orange line is marked 1 m. The squares fill the garden, 24 m², and the orange fence goes round it, 20 m. The last step shows a sticker 5 cm by 3 cm.
See the whole ideathe big idea and the key word, in one place
The big idea
Area is in square units like cm² and m²; perimeter is a length, in cm or m.
For exampleUse cm² for small things: a sticker, a book cover. Use m² for big things: a floor, a garden, a wall.
Easy to get wrong24 m² and 24 m are different. One is 24 squares of ground; the other is a line 24 m long.
Key words
- square centimetre
- the area of a square 1 cm on each side, written 1 cm²
- square metre
- the area of a square 1 m on each side, written 1 m²
Ready to use it?
- Choose cm², m², cm or m for a measure.