Worked Example 1
A Parallelogram
A parallelogram has a base of 10 m and a height of 6 m. Find its area.
- 1Cut off the triangle on one end and move it to the other end. The shape becomes a 10-by-6 rectangle.
- 210 × 6 = 60
Answer: 60 square meters
Florida Grade 6 Math · Geometric Reasoning
MA.6.GR.2.2: Area of Quadrilaterals and Composite Figures
What this Grade 6 benchmark means, worked examples, common mistakes, and a free printable worksheet.
Created by a Florida mom · Published by Tropical Learning LLC
What Is Benchmark MA.6.GR.2.2?
Students find the area of quadrilaterals (like parallelograms and trapezoids) and composite figures by breaking them into rectangles and triangles. They also find missing dimensions.
Students should know the area formulas for rectangles (A = length × width) and triangles (A = 12 × base × height) from memory. Dimensions can be any positive rational numbers.
Official benchmarkSolve mathematical and real-world problems involving the area of quadrilaterals and composite figures by decomposing them into triangles or rectangles.
On the FAST test: part of the Grade 6 reporting category Geometric Reasoning, Data Analysis, and Probability, which is about 25–36% of the test.
Worked Examples
Worked Example 2
A Trapezoid
A trapezoid has parallel sides of 8 ft and 12 ft and a height of 5 ft. Its two slanted sides are the same length. Find its area.
- 1Split it into a rectangle 8 ft by 5 ft and two triangles. The two triangles share the extra 12 − 8 = 4 ft, so each base is 2 ft.
- 2Rectangle: 8 × 5 = 40. Each triangle: 12 × 2 × 5 = 5
- 340 + 5 + 5 = 50
Answer: 50 square feet
Common Mistakes to Watch For
Using the slanted side of a parallelogram
Wrong:A parallelogram with base 10 and slanted side 7: area 70
Use the height, which is perpendicular to the base, not the slanted side.
Counting an overlap twice
Wrong:Adding two rectangles that overlap in the middle
Split the figure so the pieces don't overlap, then add.
Helpful Math Tip
Trace the figure and draw cut lines that make only rectangles and right triangles. Label every new length before calculating.
Related Grade 6 Skills
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