Finding the Area of Polygons by Decomposing

This lesson teaches how to find the area of various polygons by decomposing them into simpler shapes like triangles, rectangles, parallelograms, and trapezoids. It reviews the formulas for these basic shapes and provides examples of finding the area of a pentagon and an irregular polygon by breaking them into known shapes. The lesson emphasizes the importance of using known shapes to simplify the process and avoid common mistakes.

What is the formula for finding the area of a parallelogram?

How do you find the area of a triangle?

Explain how to find the area of a trapezoid.

What is a common mistake when finding the area of polygons with more sides?

Describe the process of breaking down a pentagon to find its area.

How do you find the area of an irregular polygon?

What steps do you take to find the total area of two rectangles created from an irregular shape?