Rectangle area by multiplying

Multiply side lengths to find areas of rectangles and represent whole-number products as rectangular areas

ages 8 to 918 practice questionsvideo included

What a learner can do afterwards

Calculate the area of a 7 cm × 9 cm rectangle as 63 cm²
Draw a rectangle with area 36 square units and label its side lengths
Solve: A garden is 8 m by 5 m — what is its area?

1 · Read

You already know how to find area by counting unit squares one at a time. There is a faster way. If you know the length and the width of a rectangle, you can multiply them to get the area right away.

Tap to fill the grid, one at a time: 4 rows of 6.

This rectangle has 4 rows and 6 columns. Instead of counting all 24 squares, multiply: 4 × 6 = 24.

Try it together

A rectangle is 7 cm by 9 cm. Multiply the side lengths: 7 × 9 = 63. The area is 63 square centimeters, written as 63 cm².

Good to know

Always write the unit name after the number, like cm² or m². The small 2 means the squares fit inside the shape, not just a length measured across.

To find area, multiply the two side lengths and label the answer in square units, like cm² or m².

2 · Watch

Take it off screen

Print a worksheetA4 with an answer key page for grown-ups. No screen, no internet.

Where it sits

Learn first

Area by Tiling

This opens up

Generalising from repeated reasoning Area and the distributive property Area and perimeter of rectangles Area of compound shapes Modelling with multiplication and fractions Perimeters of polygons

Where this leads

Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.

Air Traffic Controller Artist Astronaut Athlete Baker Botanist

Then practise

18 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.

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