Fixed Perimeter

Worksheet and comments

1. For students:

You need a string of 20 units length (the unit to
suit the size of grid paper available). Make as many
rectangles as you can, each having a perimeter of 20 units and the lengths of the sides
whole numbers (the string must not be slack when a rectangle is formed). Record the
length, width and area of each rectangle.
Look at the data you have put into your table:
Can you see a relation between the length and the width of the rectangles?
Can you say or write down what the relationship is?
Draw a graph to show the relationship between the width and length of the rectangle.
Can you determine the width of the rectangle whose length is 7.5 units from the
graph?
Now draw the graph of area against length.
Has the rectangle with the largest area a special name?
Can you think of any object which looks like the shape of the graph you have just
drawn?


2. For teachers:

This is one of two activities which will help the pupils to understand the difference
between perimeter and area. It can be adapted to the kinestetic MI by providing the
pupils with a loop of string which is 20 lengths of the unit square of the graph paper they
are using. Place on cork base and let the pupils pin the loop to the board so that the
string is taut and the sides of the rectangle they make have integer lengths. For younger
pupils the teacher can put the blank table on the board and select pupils to come out
and record one of the rectangles they have made. Older pupils can record the data using
their number knowledge. It might be necessary to remind the pupils what is the
perimeter. (P = 2l + 2w).
Result: The pupils soon see from the table or from how they determined what
numbers to put into the table that length + width = half the perimeter. Thus the
relationship is l + w = 10, which gives a straight line graph. The pupils can read off from
the graph that for a length of 7.5 units the width is 2.5 units.
The rectangle with the largest area is the square. The graph showing the area
against the length is a parabola which is approximately the trajectory of a jet of water
and many other natural and man-made objects.
Challenge: What would your reaction be if a pupil in your class asked to include
(10.0) and (0.10) in the table? Look at how the task is worded; does the suggestion meet
the criteria?