Area of Compound Shapes

Learn how to find the area of compound shapes by splitting them into simple shapes and adding or subtracting areas. Let’s get started! 🚀

Area of Compound Shapes - introduction visual

Video Lesson

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Flashcards

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Diagram explaining how to find the area of a compound shape by breaking it into simpler shapes, then summing or subtracting their areas.Diagram showing the area of a compound shape made of two rectangles with dimensions and steps for calculating total area, totalling 12 square metres.Diagram showing a compound shape composed of a rectangle and a right-angled triangle, with their respective and total areas calculation.Diagram showing the calculation of the shaded area of a wall, excluding a door and window, with a total painting cost of £46 at £5 per square metre.

🛎️ Area of a Compound Shape

  • A compound shape is made by joining two or more simple shapes.
  • To find the area, break it into familiar shapes such as rectangles, triangles, or circles.

🛎️ - Example: Two Rectangles

  • An L-shaped figure can be split into two rectangles.
  • Find each rectangle’s area using length × width.
  • Add the two areas to get the total area.

🛎️ Example: Mixed Shapes

  • Find the area of each shape separately, such as a rectangle and a triangle.
  • The triangle area formula is A=12×base×heightA=\tfrac{1}{2}\times \text{base}\times \text{height}.
  • Add the areas together to get the total area.

🛎️ Real-Life Application

  • Always calculate the total area before finding costs.
  • Subtract areas for holes like doors or windows.
  • Multiply the area by the price per square metre.

Practice Questions

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Practice: Area of Compound Shape

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