Composite Areas

Image Source: http://www.theplancollection.com In the real world, objects are often not just simple rectangles and triangles. Instead they are created using a variety of geometric shapes. Image Source: http://img210.imageshack.us We call these objects “composite shapes”, because they are composed of many shapes all joined up to each other. To calculate the Area of these real world shapes, we need to break them down into groups of simple shapes. We then calculate the areas of these simple shapes. Here is a music video on how to calculate Composite Areas. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcxO9UDT31s]     Here is an example of calculating a Composite Area that consists of Rectangles. Image Source: http://y62011.heathfieldcps.net There are often several ways that the same composite area can be calculated. Image Source: http://y62011.heathfieldcps.net It does not matter which way you choose to break the compound shape up, as long as you arrive at the correct answer, and remember to put square units onto the end of the number answer. Composite Area Videos There are several videos to watch for this lesson. These cover a wide cariety of composite shape questions. Here is a video which shows how to do a basic composite areas problem. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGILTRNf4OU&w=540&h=435]     Here is a video that shows how to do a composite areas problem that involves Subtraction. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7pE6poIDSY&w=540&h=333]     Here is another video that shows how to do a composite areas problem. If you have not learned Pythagoras Theorem, then ignore the part where the height of the left hand side triangle is calculated, and assume that you would be given this height value on the diagram already. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT_QkXBANyE&w=540&h=435]     Here is another video on Composite Areas from Spiro at Vivid Maths.     And another great video from Spiro on how to do a composite shape.     This next video shows how to do a question that involves a Rectangle and a Half Circle.     In the next video, we also have a half circle to deal with, and use its diameter to work out the hight of our trapezium / trapezoid.     Composite Areas Worksheet The following guided worksheet contains great examples that will help you do composite area questions. Click here for Composite Areas Worksheet     Remember: To find areas of composite shapes: – Split the shape into rectangles, triangles, circles, parallelograms, etc. – Find the areas all of the individual shapes – Add or Subtract these areas to get the Total Area.     Composite Area – Online Quiz There is a great Online Quiz on Composite Areas you can do at the following link: Click here for Online Quiz     Related Items Perimeter Circumference Area of Simple Shapes Area of a Circle Interesting Circles Measurement Formulas Tall Buildings and Huge Water Dam My Virtual Home If you enjoyed this post, why not get a free subscription to our website. You can then receive notifications of new pages directly to your email address. Go to the subscribe area on the right hand sidebar, fill in your email address and then click the “Subscribe” button. To find out exactly how free subscription works, click the following link: How Free Subscription Works   Like Us on Facebook [cardoza_facebook_like_box] Our Facebook page has many additional items which are not posted to this website. These include items of mathematical interest, funny math pictures and cartoons, as well as occassional glimpses into the personal life of “Passy”. Check it out at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/PassysWorldOfMathematics While you are there, LIKE the page so you can receive our FB updates to your Facebook News Feed.   Help Passy’s World Grow Each day Passy’s World provides hundreds of people with mathematics lessons free of charge. Help us to maintain this free service and keep it growing. Donate any amount from $2 upwards through PayPal by clicking the PayPal image below. Thank you!

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