Area (Year 4)

Calculate the area of rectangles and compound shapes.

The questions below are generated to match the National Curriculum for Year 4 and get harder as you progress from Rookie to Guru.

Worked examples

RookieRead and interpret directly.

Convert: 350 cm = ___ m.

  • 3.5 m
  • 35 m
  • 0.35 m
  • 3,500 m

Answer: 3.5 m. 350 cm ÷ 100 = 3.5 m.

ProCompare and infer.

What is the perimeter of a rectangle with length 8 cm and width 5 cm?

  • 26 cm
  • 28 cm
  • 30 cm
  • 40 cm

Answer: 26 cm. Perimeter = 2 × (length + width) = 2 × (8 + 5) = 2 × 13 = 26 cm.

GuruMulti-step reasoning.

Why does the formula A = L × W give cm² as the unit (not cm)?

  • Because we multiply length × length — each in cm — and cm × cm = cm² (square centimetres).
  • Because the answer is bigger than length.
  • Because two-digit numbers always have squared units.
  • Because the question said so.

Answer: Because we multiply length × length — each in cm — and cm × cm = cm² (square centimetres).. Multiplying cm × cm gives cm² — square centimetres — because we're measuring area.

Related skills

Frequently asked questions

What is area?
Calculate the area of rectangles and compound shapes.
How can my child practise area at home?
Work through the examples below, then start a free adaptive session. Northstar adjusts the difficulty automatically and tracks mastery over time.

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