Area Games

What Is Area?

Area is the amount of space a shape takes up. It's the space inside a figure. Area is a measure of the size of a two-dimensional shape. It tells us how much space is enclosed within the boundaries of the shape. We can also think of area as the number of little unit squares (unit square: a square with side 1 unit) that fit inside the shape.

For example, imagine a rectangular sheet of paper on a table; the area is the space the paper covers on the table's surface. Area is measured in square units, like square inches or square centimeters. 

Area is important in various real-life situations, such as measuring the size of a room, calculating the area of a garden, or determining the space needed for a carpet.

Area of Different 2D Shapes

In this section, we will discuss the area formulas for some common 2D shapes. 

If you are looking for ‘Area of shapes games’ for your child, do check out these Area interactive games - Area of 2D Shapes Games for Kids!

Area of Triangle

The area of a triangle is half the product of its base and height. To find the area, multiply the length of the base by the height, then divide the result by 2. 

In a triangle, the base is the side of the triangle that is used as a reference for measuring the height. It is typically the longest side of the triangle and is usually drawn horizontally. The height is then measured perpendicular to the base from the opposite vertex.

Area of triangle \( = \frac{1}{2} \times \)  Base \(\times\) Height

Example: If a triangle has a base of 6 units and a height of 4 units, its area would be 

\(\frac{1}{2}\times\)  Base \(\times\) Height \( = \frac{1}{2} \times 6 \times 4 = 12 \) square units.

Note: This is the standard formula, but there are also alternative methods, such as Heron's formula, which can be used to find the area of a triangle when the lengths of all three sides are known. Heron's formula eliminates the need to find the height and is particularly useful for triangles where the height is challenging to determine. Both methods provide accurate results and are used depending on the given information in a triangle problem.

Area of Rectangle

The area of a rectangle is calculated by multiplying the length and width of the shape. 

• Length refers to the longer side of the rectangle. It is usually the dimension running horizontally. 
• Width refers to the shorter side of the shape. It is typically the dimension running vertically and is perpendicular to the length.

Area of a square \(=\) Length \(\times\) Width

Example: If a rectangle is 6 units long and 4 units wide, its area would be 

Area \(= 6 \times 4 = 24\) square units.

Area of Square

The area of a square is calculated by squaring the length of one of its sides. In simple terms, you multiply the side length by itself. 

Area of a square \(=\) Side² = Side \(\times\) Side

Example: If a square has a side length of 5 units, its area would be 

Area \(= 5 \times 5\) \(= 25\) square units.

Note: A square is a special kind of a rectangle. All squares are rectangles, but all rectangles are not squares.

Area of Parallelogram

The area of a parallelogram is found by multiplying the base (which can be any side) of the parallelogram by its corresponding height (perpendicular distance between the base and the opposite side). The formula for the area of a parallelogram is:

Area of a Parallelogram \(=\) Base\(\times\)  Height

Example: If a parallelogram has a base of 8 units and a height of 5 units, its area would be

Area \(= 8 \times 5 = 40\) square units.

Area of a Circle

Area of a circle is calculated using the formula A \(= \pi r^{2}\), where 

π (pi) is a mathematical constant approximately equal to 3.14159 (sometimes approximated as \(\frac{22}{7}\)), 

and r is the radius of the circle. 

The radius is the distance from the center of the circle to any point on its circumference. 

Example: If the radius of a circle is 5 units, its area would be

Area \(=  A = \pi \times 5^{2} = 25\pi\) square units = 78.54 square units (approximately)

• Area of Semicircle: 

Area of a semicircle is half the area of a circle.

Area of a semicircle \(= \frac{\pi r^{2}}{2}\)

• Area of a Quarter Circle:

Area of a quarter circle is one-fourth the total area of a circle.

Area of a quarter circle \(= \frac{\pi r^{2}}{4}\)

Area of Irregular Shapes

Irregular shapes are two-dimensional figures that do not have equal sides or equal interior angles, making their area calculations more complex than regular shapes. 

Irregular shapes do not have a direct formula for area calculation. To find the area of irregular shapes, they can be divided into smaller recognizable shapes, such as triangles, rectangles, and circles, whose area can be easily calculated. Summing up their individual areas will give the total area of the irregular shape. 

Area of Composite Figures (Compound Shapes)

Composite shapes are formed by combining two or more simple shapes (triangles, rectangles, circles) to create a more complex figure. Composite shapes can be irregular or regular depending on the dimensions like lengths and angles.

To find the area of a composite shape, it is divided into smaller, recognizable shapes. Each smaller shape's area is calculated individually using the appropriate formula. The total area of the composite shape is obtained by adding the areas of the individual shapes together. 

For hands-on practice, do visit and play the Find the Area of Composite Figure Game!

How To Find Area Using Unit Squares

To find the area using a unit squares grid, follow these simple steps:

• Draw the shape on a unit square grid, where each square on the grid represents 1 square unit area (1 square = 1 square unit).
• Count the number of completely filled unit squares, fully enclosed within the shape.
• For partially filled squares, estimate the fraction of the square that is covered and add it to the total count.

i) If the shape covers half the region of the square, it represents 0.5 square unit area.

ii) If the shape covers more than half the region of the square, it is approximated to 1 square unit area.

iii) If the shape covers less than half the region of the square, it is usually approximated to 0 square unit area.

• The total count represents the area of the shape in square units, giving you the amount of space it occupies on the grid.
• Using a unit squares grid provides a visual and straightforward method to determine the area of any shape.

Example: Find the area of the given trapezoid.

 

Number of completely filled squares = 10

More than half filled squares = 3

Apart from this, we have one square that is approximately half-filled.

Total area = 10 + 3 + 0.5 = 13.5 square units

Now, let’s find the area using formula.

a = 3 units

b = 6 units

h = 3 units

Area of trapezoid \(= \frac{(a + b) h}{2} = \frac{(6 + 3)  3}{2} =\) 13.5 square units

Allow us to assist you in finding area games that will aid in your learning journey. Use the above steps and play this amazing Find the Area with Unit Squares Game. 

Finding Area: Grid Paper Game

Here’s an interesting Area game that can be played on grid paper. It is based on the concept of unit squares we discussed earlier.

Wall-Painting Area Game:

 

• Give 1-centimeter Grid paper to the child.
• Have the child make at least 4 rectangular shapes using a marker.
• Have the child imagine the shapes as walls of a house and in the way walls are painted, have the shapes also be shaded by crayons or colored pencils.
• Have the child count the number of squares inside the shaded region and explain this is the area of that shape.
• Have the child cut the marked squares from the paper and compare between two shapes.
• Have the child arrange all the shapes in decreasing order of area visually.
• Make the child compare the calculated area of each shape and if it is numerically also in the same order.

These activities help kids understand ‘area’ in square units, ranking shapes visually and clarifying the importance of numerically calculated area. Math games using grid paper explain area and perimeter with real-life examples, dispelling misconceptions and improving math comprehension.

How Can Children Use the Concept of Area in Real Life?

Here are some simple ways to help kids incorporate and relate the concept of area in real-life situations:

• Flooring and Carpeting: Help kids understand the concept of area by calculating the amount of flooring or carpet needed for a room, ensuring they purchase the right amount without wastage.
• Gardening: Children can use area concepts to plan and plant their gardens, allocating space for different plants and flowers to make their garden visually appealing and well-organized. 
• Art Projects: Kids can use the area to create and cut out shapes for art projects, collages, and crafts, helping them visualize and work with different sizes and dimensions. 
• Painting and Wallpaper: Kids can use area to estimate the amount of paint or wallpaper required to cover their bedroom walls, avoiding excessive purchases and unnecessary waste.
• Sports Fields: Kids interested in sports can use area concepts to measure and mark out the dimensions of playing fields for games like soccer, baseball, or basketball

Importance of Introducing the Concept of Area to Kids through Games

• Fun-driven Learning Approach: Area games for kids make the concept of area enjoyable and interactive, keeping kids interested and motivated to learn.
• Engaging in Practical Exploration: Through games, kids can physically manipulate shapes and visualize area, making the learning experience more tangible and memorable.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Area games encourage critical thinking and problem-solving as kids strategize and calculate areas to win the game.
• Real-Life Relevance: Games demonstrate how area is applicable in everyday situations, like measuring spaces or planning home projects, showing kids the practical importance of this mathematical concept.
• Improved Information Retention: Learning through games stimulates different parts of the brain, leading to better retention and understanding of area concepts in the long run.

Exploring ‘Area’: Math Games vs. Traditional Teaching

• More attractive and appealing setting: Math games make the learning area enjoyable and interactive, capturing students' attention and motivating them to actively participate in the learning process. The traditional methods often rely on passive learning, where students listen to lectures or read textbooks without active engagement, which may lead to reduced interest and retention.
• Practical Knowledge: Games provide a tangible way for students to visualize and manipulate shapes, making the concept of area more concrete and memorable compared to passive learning through lectures. In the traditional methods, students may have limited opportunities for hands-on experiences or direct interactions
• Encourage Analytical Problem-Solving: Math games often involve challenging tasks that require students to apply area concepts creatively, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving abilities in a practical context. Conventional approach might get monotonous The traditional approach might not be as engaging or motivating for students, leading to a lack of interest, leading to a lack of interest.

What Are 5 Best Fun Games and Activities Based on the Area of shapes?

Check out some of the best Area Math games online by SplashLearn:

• Understanding Area Game
• Multiply to Find the Area Game
• Area as Additive Game
• Build the Area Game
• Add to Find the Area Game