---
title: "Area by Tiling"
description: "Find the area of a rectangle by tiling it with unit squares and show that the result equals the product of the side lengths"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/area-by-tiling-mt_Jvvh5P06NV
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/area-by-tiling-mt_Jvvh5P06NV.md
retrieved: 2026-10-19
---

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# Area by Tiling

Find the area of a rectangle by tiling it with unit squares and show that the result equals the product of the side lengths

Subject: Mathematics · Area: Measurement · Ages 8 to 9
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/area-by-tiling-mt_Jvvh5P06NV

## Ready when they can

- Tile a 4×6 rectangle and count 24 squares, then verify 4×6=24
- Explain why the number of rows times the number in each row gives the area
- Draw a rectangle on squared paper, tile it, and write the multiplication

## Lesson: Area by Tiling

You already know area tells you how much surface a shape covers, measured in square units. One way to find the area of a rectangle is tiling: cover it completely with unit squares, no gaps and no overlaps, then count them.

*(drawing: This rectangle is tiled with unit squares: 4 rows, 6 squares in each row. Count them all and you get 24 squares.)*

**Example.** Leo tiles a rectangle that is 3 squares tall and 5 squares wide. He counts the squares in one row: 5. He has 3 rows just like that one, so the total is 3 x 5 = 15 squares, without counting one by one.

**Tip.** You never have to count every square. Count how many squares are in one row, count the rows, then multiply: rows times squares per row gives the area.

**Recap.** Tiling a rectangle with unit squares shows why its area equals rows times columns, so you can multiply instead of counting one by one.

## Practice

16 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Composing Shapes](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/composing-shapes-mt_MqqR7VUoz1)
- [Rows & Columns in Rectangles](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/rows-and-columns-in-rectangles-mt_UTnDKQkVX5)
- [Area (age 8+)](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/area-age-8-mt_y1n0Zwhoca)

## Opens up

- [Rectangle area by multiplying](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/rectangle-area-by-multiplying-mt_GzcJEVkNRn)