Introduction: Lisa is helping her dad build a fenced area for their pigs. They have 48 m of fence.

Problem:

1. Lisa suggests they build a rectangular pigpen with a length of 20 m and a width of 4 m. Draw and label a picture of this pigpen. What is its area?
2. Draw and label two other sized rectangular pigpens they could build using the 48 m of fence. What is the area of each of these pigpens?
3. The pigs need as much area as possible. Draw the rectangular-shaped pigpen that would give the most area (using the 48 m of fence). What is its area?
4. Lisa wonders if the area would be greater if they built a pigpen in the shape of an equilateral triangle using the 48 m of fence. Draw a picture of this pigpen. What is its area?
5. Using 48 m of fence, you want to build a pigpen with the most area. Accurately draw to scale this pigpen. Use the scale 1cm = 1m.

Materials: pencil, paper, ruler, grid paper, geometry set, calculator

Extra Questions: Find the greatest area that can be created for the pigpen using 48 m of fence.

Area, perimeter, geometry & measurement, ratio and proportion, critical and creative thinking, communication

  Activity Type:

Group      Individual 

  Assessment:

Scale:    Levels 1-5   
Self     Peer     Teacher 
Include in your portfolio?
Yes     No     Optional 
Toward Your Marks?
Yes     No     Optional 

  Hints: