WorksheetsAbout this worksheet
Perimeter is the distance around a shape; area is the surface inside it. For a rectangle, perimeter = 2 × (length + breadth) and area = length × breadth. For a square, perimeter = 4 × side and area = side × side.
What this skill is
Perimeter and area measure two different things about the same shape. Perimeter is a length: how far you walk going once around the edge. Area is a surface: how many unit squares cover the inside. A fence, a border and a photo frame need perimeter. Paint, tiles and carpet need area.
A worked example
A rectangle is 12 cm long and 7 cm broad.
- Perimeter: add length and breadth, 12 + 7 = 19, then double it, because there are two of each side: 2 × 19 = 38 cm.
- Area: multiply length by breadth: 12 × 7 = 84 square cm.
For a square of side 9 cm: perimeter = 4 × 9 = 36 cm, and area = 9 × 9 = 81 square cm.
Tips for parents and teachers
- Ask the child to draw a rough figure and write the measures on it before using a formula.
- Units matter: perimeter is in cm or m, area is in square cm or square m.
- Measure a real book or table top and find both. It makes the difference between the two clear.
How to use this sheet at home and in class
- At home: measure the top of a table or a notebook with a ruler and find both. Then ask which answer you would need to put a ribbon around it and which to cover it with paper.
- In class: on squared paper, let children draw two different rectangles with a perimeter of 20 squares and count the area of each. They find that the same perimeter can hold different areas.
- Begin with "Small numbers" so the tables do not get in the way of the idea.
Mistakes to watch for
- Mixing the two formulas: multiplying for perimeter or adding for area.
- Adding only one length and one breadth for the perimeter and forgetting to double.
- Leaving out the unit, or writing cm for area. Area is always in square units.
What to try next
- Multiplication worksheets: if the multiplying is slow.
- Unit conversion worksheets: when the sides are in different units.
- Simple equations worksheets: finding a side from the area.