What is the Area Between Two Rectangles?
Imagine you have two rectangles - one inside another!
The area between them is like a picture frame around a photo. To find this space, we calculate the area of the big rectangle, subtract the area of the small rectangle inside it, and voilà - we have the area between them!
How to Calculate It
1️⃣ Measure both rectangles (length and width)
2️⃣ Calculate area of each (length × width)
3️⃣ Subtract small area from big area
Let's Try Some Examples!
Example 1: Picture Frame
A photo is in a frame. The frame is 10cm by 8cm outside and 8cm by 6cm inside. What's the frame's area?
Big rectangle area: 10cm × 8cm = 80cm²
Small rectangle area: 8cm × 6cm = 48cm²
Frame area: 80cm² - 48cm² = 32cm²
Great job! The frame has 32cm² of space.
Example 2: Garden Path
A garden has a grassy area 12m by 9m, with a path around it making the total area 15m by 12m. What's the path's area?
Total area: 15m × 12m = 180m²
Grass area: 12m × 9m = 108m²
Path area: 180m² - 108m² = 72m²
Awesome! The path covers 72 square meters.
Parent Tips 🌟
- Real-life practice: Measure actual rectangular objects at home (picture frames, rugs, tables) and calculate the area between them and their surroundings.
- Art connection: Have your child draw two rectangles (one inside the other) and color the space between them to visualize the concept.
- Building challenge: Use blocks or LEGO to create rectangular shapes and calculate the "empty space" between different configurations.