Algebra I
Activity:
Area – FOILed Again
Posted on Mar 4, 2010
Topic: Polynomials
Students practice finding rectangular areas with algebraic expressions for the lengths of the sides.
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Activity Key Steps:
In the first problem, students investigate the distributive property to simplify the expression for the area of a rectangle. The interactive page allows students to change the width of the rectangle, changing the number students need to distribute.
In the second problem, students are introduced to finding the expression for the area of a rectangle with variables in the side lengths. The rectangle is shaded so that students may think about each area individually before combining them to find the total area.
In the third problem, students will make the connection between the 4 terms produced when using the FOIL method and the 4 areas of the smaller rectangles. On the interactive page in this problem, students can change the numbers by double clicking updating the expressions representing the sides of the rectangle. The process of calculating the area is demonstrated by using FOIL and then combining like terms.