Rectangles with the Same Numerical Area and Perimeter

1 Rectangles with the Same Numerical Area and Perimeter 2016 by Education Development Center. Rectangles with the Same Numerical Area and Perimeter is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives International License. To view a copy of this license, visit To contact the copyright holder email This material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL-1119163. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

2 About Illustrations: Illustrations of the Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMP) consist of several pieces, including a mathematics task, student dialogue, mathematical overview, teacher reflection questions, and student materials. While the primary use of Illustrations is for teacher learning about the SMP, some components may be used in the classroom with students. These include the mathematics task, student dialogue, and student materials. For additional Illustrations or to learn about a professional development curriculum centered around the use of Illustrations, please visit About the Rectangles with the Same Numerical Area and Perimeter Illustration: This Illustration s student dialogue shows the conversation among three students who are trying to find all Rectangles that have the same Numerical area and Perimeter .

3 After trying different Rectangles of specific dimensions, students finally develop an equation that describes the relationship between the width and length of a rectangle with equal area and Perimeter . Highlighted Standard(s) for Mathematical Practice (MP) MP 1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. MP 2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. MP 7: Look for and make use of structure. MP 8: Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning. Target Grade Level: Grades 8 9 Target Content Domain: Creating Equations (Algebra Conceptual Category) Highlighted Standard(s) for Mathematical Content Create equations in two or more variables to represent relationships between quantities; graph equations on coordinate axes with labels and scales.

4 Rearrange formulas to highlight a quantity of interest, using the same reasoning as in solving equations. For example, rearrange Ohm s law V = IR to highlight resistance R. Math Topic Keywords: area, Perimeter , rational expressions Rectangles with the Same Numerical Area and Perimeter Mathematics Task Suggested Use This mathematics task is intended to encourage the use of mathematical practices. Keep track of ideas, strategies, and questions that you pursue as you work on the task. Also reflect on the mathematical practices you used when working on this task. Find the dimensions of all Rectangles whose area and Perimeter have the same Numerical value.

5 Rectangles with the Same Numerical Area and Perimeter Student Dialogue Suggested Use The dialogue shows one way that students might engage in the mathematical practices as they work on the mathematics task from this Illustration. Read the student dialogue and identify the ideas, strategies, and questions that the students pursue as they work on the task. The students in this dialogue know how to determine the area and Perimeter of Rectangles , and have experience with manipulating equations. This dialogue comes at a time of year when students are studying rational expressions.

6 (1) Lee: Let s start by finding at least one that works. (2) Chris: OK, so let s start with squares. All the sides are the same in squares. (3) Lee: We don t care that all the sides are the same! We want the Numerical value of the area and the Perimeter to be the same. (4) Matei: We can still start with squares and see if they work. (5) Lee: OK. Let s make a table. [they write] Side length of square Area Perimeter 1 1 4 2 4 8 3 9 12 4 16 16 5 25 20 6 36 24 (6) Chris: We ve got a winner! 4 works. I told you squares could work. Can any other squares work? (7) Matei: I think that might be the only one.

7 Look, the area is getting bigger much faster than the Perimeter when we make the side length bigger. Once we pass the side length of 4, I don t see how the Perimeter could ever catch up to the area. (8) Chris: Area s definitely winning that race! Okay, so you said we had to think about all Rectangles , not just squares. So, what s next? (9) Lee: A table is more complicated for non-squares. There are two different side lengths. (10) Chris: how are you going to make that work? (11) Lee: Well, let s try at least a few! Rectangles with the Same Numerical Area and Perimeter (12) Chris: What about 2 and 3?

8 [draws the following] (13) Lee: Perimeter of 10 and area of 6. Doesn t work. (14) Matei: So, then what about 212 and 3? That s a Perimeter of 11 and area of 712. That s closer. (15) Chris: Wait! Don t make it harder, yet! Let s stick with regular numbers and see what happens. (16) Matei: You mean WHOLE numbers? (17) Chris: Yeah. Sure. Whatever. (18) Lee: Let s try 4 and 4 times 3 is 12. 4+3 is 7, double that and get 14. [draws the following] (19) Chris: Close! (20) Lee: 5 times 3 is 15. 5+3 is 8, double that is 16. [draws the following] (21) Chris: Even closer! (22) Matei: I don t think it will ever work if the area is odd, because the Perimeter has to be even.

9 After all, to find the Perimeter , we add the two numbers and double the sum. It has to be even. (23) Chris: Well, that s odd! Rectangles with the Same Numerical Area and Perimeter (24) Lee: Okay, so we were close with 5 and 3, but we need an even product. 6 times 3 is 18. 6+3 is 9 and double 9 is 18. [draws the following] (25) Chris: Hooray! Another winner! We found one! Is that all of them? [There is a long pause during which everyone thinks about the problem.] (26) Matei: I don t know, but I don t think so. What are we doing each time we try an example? [draws the following] If we call the side lengths a and b, then area is a times b.

10 [writes Area=ab] To find Perimeter , we ve been adding a and b and then doubling that sum. [writes Perimeter =(a+b) 2] Then we want the area and Perimeter to be equal, (27) Lee: Oh, I see. We need to find Rectangles with sides lengths a and b that make the area ab equal to the Perimeter , which [pauses to write ab=2(a+b)] ..twice the sum of a and b. Now we can solve for a. I ll multiply first. [mumbles about the distributive property while writing the following] ab=2(a+b)ab=2a+2b Then I can subtract 2a from both sides. [writes the following] ab 2a=2b (28) Matei: Right. And ab minus 2a is the same as a times the quantity b minus 2.