Lesson 1

NYS COMMON CORE MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM

65

Lesson 1: The Area of Parallelograms Through Rectangle Facts

Classwork
Opening Exercise
Name each shape.

Exercises
1.

Find the area of each parallelogram below. Each figure is not drawn to scale.
a.

4 cm

5 cm

6 cm
b.
8m
25 m

10 m

c.
7 ft.
12 ft.

11.5 ft.

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Lesson 1

NYS COMMON CORE MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM

2.

65

Draw and label the height of each parallelogram. Use the correct mathematical tool to measure the base and the
height in inches, and calculate the area of each parallelogram.
a.

base

b.

base

c.

base

3.

If the area of a parallelogram is

35
42

cm and the height is

area of the parallelogram. Solve the equation.

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Date:
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1
7

cm, write an equation that relates the height, base, and

The Area of Parallelograms Through Rectangle Facts

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Lesson 1

NYS COMMON CORE MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM

65

Lesson Summary
The formula to calculate the area of a parallelogram is = , where represents the base and represents the
height of the parallelogram.
The height of a parallelogram is the line segment perpendicular to the base.

Problem Set
Draw and label the height for each parallelogram.
1.

base

2.

base

Calculate the area of each parallelogram. The figures are not drawn to scale.
3.
6 cm

13 cm

8 cm

Lesson 1:
Date:
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The Area of Parallelograms Through Rectangle Facts

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Lesson 1

NYS COMMON CORE MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM

65

4.

13.4 ft.

12.8 ft.

1.2 ft.
5.
2
3

7 in.

6.

1
4

5 in.

1
2

2 in.

5
6

3 in.
1

7.

43 m

32 m

36 m

Brittany and Sid were both asked to draw the height of a parallelogram. Their answers are below.
Brittany
height
base

Sid
height

base

Are both Brittany and Sid correct? If not, who is correct? Explain your answer.

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Date:
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The Area of Parallelograms Through Rectangle Facts

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Lesson 1

NYS COMMON CORE MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM

8.

Do the rectangle and parallelogram below have the same area? Explain why or why not.

8 ft.
15 ft.
9.

65

10 ft.

8 ft.

15 ft.

A parallelogram has an area of 20.3 square centimeters and a base of 2.5 centimeters. Write an equation that
relates the area to the base and height, . Solve the equation to determine the length of the height.

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The Area of Parallelograms Through Rectangle Facts

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Lesson 2

NYS COMMON CORE MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM

65

Lesson 2: The Area of Right Triangles

Classwork
Exploratory Challenge
1.

Use the shapes labeled with an x to predict the formula needed to calculate the area of a right triangle. Explain
your prediction.

Formula for the Area of Right Triangles: ______________________________________

Area of the given triangle: _________________________________

2.

Use the shapes labeled with a y to determine if the formula you discovered in part one is correct.
Does your area formula for triangle y match the formula you got for triangle x?

If so, do you believe you have the correct formula needed to calculate the area of a right triangle? Why or why not?

If not, which formula do you think is correct? Why?

Area of given triangle: _____________________________________

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Lesson 2

NYS COMMON CORE MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM

65

Exercises
Calculate the area of each triangle below. Each figure is not drawn to scale.
3.

17 ft.

8 ft.

15 ft.

4.
24.8 cm

17.7 cm

11.4 cm

5.

6 in.
8 in.

10 in.

6.
1
3

10 m
2
3

3
5

5 m

8 m

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Lesson 2

NYS COMMON CORE MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM

65

7.

32.7 km
21.4 km
8.

Mr. Jones told his students they each need a half of a piece of paper. Calvin cut his piece of paper horizontally and
Matthew cut his piece of paper diagonally. Which student has the larger area on their half piece of paper? Explain.
Calvins Paper

9.

Matthews Paper

Ben took 3 bathroom tiles to the store to be cut. The only direction he gave was that he needed the area of each
tile to be half of the original size. If Ben wants each tile to be cut into two right triangles, did he provide the store
with enough information? Why or why not?

10. If the area of a triangle is 6.22 sq. in. and its base is 3.11 in., write an equation that relates the area to the height, ,
and the base. Solve the equation to determine the height.

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Lesson 2

NYS COMMON CORE MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM

65

Problem Set
Calculate the area of each right triangle below. Each figure is not drawn to scale.

1.

31.2 cm

9.1 cm

32.5 cm
2.
1
4

6 km

3
4

3 km

5 km

3.

3.2 in.

5 in.
2.4 in.

4.

11 mm

60 mm
61 mm

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Lesson 2

NYS COMMON CORE MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM

65

5.
2
3

16 ft.

1
13 ft.
3

10 ft.
6.

Elania has two congruent rugs at her house. She cut one vertically down the middle, and she cut diagonally through
the other one.

C
A

B
D

After making the cuts, which rug (labeled A, B, C, or D) has the larger area? Explain.
7.

Give the dimensions of a right triangle and a parallelogram with the same area. Explain how you know.

8.

If the area of a right triangle is

16

sq. ft. and the height is in., write an equation that relates the area to the base, ,
4

and the height. Solve the equation to determine the base.

Lesson 2:
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The Area of Right Triangles

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