What is a Complex Figure?
Complex figures are shapes made by combining simpler shapes like rectangles and squares.
When all angles are right angles (90°), we can break the shape into rectangles, find each area, and then add them together! This is called the "divide and conquer" method.
How to Find the Area in 3 Steps
1️⃣ Divide the shape into rectangles you know how to measure
2️⃣ Calculate the area of each rectangle (length × width)
3️⃣ Add all the areas together for the total area
Let's Practice Together!
Example 1: The L-Shaped Figure
This L-shape can be divided into two rectangles:
- Top rectangle: 120 × 80 = ______
- Bottom rectangle: 80 × 120 = ______
Total area = 9,600 + 9,600 = 19,200 square units
Example 2: The Bookcase Challenge
This bookcase shape has 4 rectangles. Let's find the area:
Top shelf: × = ______
Left side: × = ______
Middle: × = ______
Right side: × = ______
Total area = ______ square units
Parent Tips 🌟
- Make it real: Measure areas in your home - bedrooms, gardens, or furniture. Kids learn best when math connects to their world.
- Use graph paper: Have your child draw complex shapes and color-code the different rectangles to visualize the division.
- Play area detective: Create challenges like "Find the area of our backyard minus the patio" to practice subtraction of areas too.