Find the Area of Complex Figures

Learning Objectives Define a complex figure as a shape made of two or more rectangles. Decompose (split) a complex figure into separate, non-overlapping rectangles. Calculate the area of each individual rectangle using the formula Area = length × width. Find the total area of a complex figure by adding the areas of its smaller rectangles. Solve real-world problems involving the area of complex figures. Correctly label the final area with 'square units'. Have you ever wanted to build a cool fort or design a dream room with a special nook? 🏰 Let's learn how to measure the floor space in those fun shapes! Today, we are going to learn a super skill: finding the area of shapes that look like they are made of different rectangles stuck together. This is useful for...

TermDefinitionExample AreaThe amount of space inside a flat, 2D shape. We measure it in square units.If a chocolate bar has 6 squares, its area is 6 square units. Square UnitA square with sides that are 1 unit long. We use these to measure area.A single tile on a floor can be 1 square foot. RectangleA 4-sided shape with 4 right angles. Opposite sides are equal in length.A door, a book cover, or a phone screen. Complex FigureA shape that is made by joining two or more simple shapes (like rectangles) together. It's also called a composite figure.An L-shaped room or a T-shaped patio. DecomposeTo break or split a larger shape into smaller, simpler shapes.Splitting an L-shaped figure into two rectangles with a dotted line.

Area of a Rectangle Area = \text{length} \times \text{width} To find the area of any rectangle, multiply the length of its long side by the length of its short side. Area of a Complex Figure \text{Total Area} = \text{Area of Rectangle 1} + \text{Area of Rectangle 2} First, split the complex figure into smaller rectangles. Then, find the area of each smaller rectangle and add all those areas together to get the total.