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Secondary 1 · Mathematics
The metric system · The metric system

Area

Your bedroom measures about $12\ \text{m}^2$. A soccer field is around $7{,}000\ \text{m}^2$. An entire state, like Oaxaca, is measured in $\text{km}^2$. All of that is area: how much space a flat figure takes up. How do we go from one unit to another without messing up the zeros?

The unit of area: the square meter

Square with a side of one meter that visually defines a square meter of area. 1 m 1 m 1 m² a square with a 1 m side
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Select the most appropriate unit of measurement to express the area of the following objects: a) The screen of a smartphone. b) A top-division soccer field. c) The…

Select the most appropriate unit of measurement to express the area of the following objects:

  1. a) The screen of a smartphone.
  2. b) A top-division soccer field.
  3. c) The surface area of Mexico.
  4. d) The floor of your bedroom.

(Options: $km^2$, $hm^2$, $m^2$, $cm^2$)

Solve

The square meter ladder

Careful: here each step is worth $\times 100$, not $\times 10$, because we have two dimensions (length and width).

Conversion ladder for area units with factors of one hundred between consecutive units. km² hm² dam² m² dm² cm² mm² ×100 ÷100
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For an art project, Lucas needs a piece of card that measures exactly $2,400 \text{ cm}^2$. When he goes to the stationer's, the shop assistant tells him that…

For an art project, Lucas needs a piece of card that measures exactly $2,400 \text{ cm}^2$. When he goes to the stationer's, the shop assistant tells him that measurements are given in square decimeters. How many $\text{dm}^2$ should Lucas ask for for his project?

CARD Area = 2400 cm² 1 dm² = 100 cm² 2400 cm² ÷ 100 ? dm² ?
Solve
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Express in simple form (using a single unit) in square meters the following area measurement given in compound form: $3 \text{ dam}^2$, $25 \text{ m}^2$ and…

Express in simple form (using a single unit) in square meters the following area measurement given in compound form:

$3 \text{ dam}^2$, $25 \text{ m}^2$ and $75 \text{ dm}^2$

Target: m² × 100 ÷ 100 3 dam² 25 m² 75 dm² + + m²
Solve
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In a housing development, a square common area measuring $10 \text{ meters}$ on each side is going to be paved. Square tiles with a surface area of $1 \text{ dm}^2$ each…

In a housing development, a square common area measuring $10 \text{ meters}$ on each side is going to be paved. Square tiles with a surface area of $1 \text{ dm}^2$ each will be used. How many tiles will be needed to cover the entire area?

1 dm² Area to be paved Tile 10 m 10 m 1 dm 1 dm
Solve

Converting units

We count the steps: each one going down multiplies by $100$ and each one going up divides by $100$. Two steps are $100 \times 100 = 10{,}000$.

Diagram converting 450 square centimeters to square meters by dividing twice by one hundred. 450 cm² 2 steps 0.045 m² cm² dm² m² ÷100 ÷100
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A farmer has three plots with the following areas: Plot A: $0.45 \text{ hm}^2$ Plot B: $5,200 \text{ m}^2$ Plot C: $48 \text{ dam}^2$ Order the plots from smallest to…

A farmer has three plots with the following areas:

  • Plot A: $0.45 \text{ hm}^2$

  • Plot B: $5,200 \text{ m}^2$

  • Plot C: $48 \text{ dam}^2$

Order the plots from smallest to largest area by comparing their measurements in $\text{m}^2$.

Solve
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A municipality is planning the creation of a new suburban park. They have bought three adjacent plots whose areas are expressed in different units: Plot A:…

A municipality is planning the creation of a new suburban park. They have bought three adjacent plots whose areas are expressed in different units:

  • Plot A: $0.052\text{ km}^2$

  • Plot B: $140\text{ dam}^2$

  • Plot C: $8,500\text{ m}^2$

Express the total area of the future park in hectares ($ha$).

Solve
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Order the following areas of Mexican natural parks from largest to smallest, first converting them all to the same unit of your choice: Park A: $12,400,000\text{ m}^2$…

Order the following areas of Mexican natural parks from largest to smallest, first converting them all to the same unit of your choice:

  • Park A: $12,400,000\text{ m}^2$

  • Park B: $1,350\text{ ha}$

  • Park C: $128\text{ km}^2$

  • Park D: $1,250,000\text{ dam}^2$

Solve

Agrarian units: hectare, are, and centiare

For large pieces of land, like a plot or a park, special units are used, which are more convenient than $\text{m}^2$ with lots of zeros.

Equivalences of agrarian units: one hectare is ten thousand square meters or one square hectometer, one are is one hundred square meters or one square decameter, and one centiare is one square meter. 1 ha = 10,000 m² = 1 hm² 1 a = 100 m² = 1 dam² 1 ca = 1 m²

The compound form uses several units at once (for example, ha, a, and ca); the simple form uses just one. Let's look at both directions.

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In farming, special units are used. Match each International System measurement with its corresponding land area unit: a) $1 \text{ hm}^2$ b) $1 \text{ dam}^2$ c)…

In farming, special units are used. Match each International System measurement with its corresponding land area unit:

  1. a) $1 \text{ hm}^2$
  2. b) $1 \text{ dam}^2$
  3. c) $1 \text{ m}^2$

I. Are ($a$)

II. Hectare ($ha$)

III. Centiare ($ca$)

Solve
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A farmer owns a farm of $3\text{ ha}$, $5\text{ a}$ and $25\text{ ca}$. He decides to sell part of his land for the construction of a road. The part sold measures…

A farmer owns a farm of $3\text{ ha}$, $5\text{ a}$ and $25\text{ ca}$. He decides to sell part of his land for the construction of a road. The part sold measures exactly $4,200\text{ m}^2$. What area of the farm, expressed in compound form (hectares, ares and centiares), does the farmer have left?

Solve
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As part of a reforestation plan following a wildfire, work will be carried out over an area of $14 \text{ ha}, 5 \text{ a}$ and $20 \text{ ca}$. The forestry engineers…

As part of a reforestation plan following a wildfire, work will be carried out over an area of $14 \text{ ha}, 5 \text{ a}$ and $20 \text{ ca}$. The forestry engineers have decided that one tree must be planted for every $12 \text{ m}^2$ of land. If the cost of each sapling is $\$4.80$ and labor costs $\$250$ per square decameter worked, what will be the total budget required for the reforestation?

Solve

Areas of simple figures

To find out how many $\text{m}^2$ a floor, a plot of land, or a screen has, we use formulas. In all of them, the base and the height must be in the same unit.

Triangle, parallelogram, trapezoid, and rhombus with their height or diagonals marked and their area formula. Triangle b × h ÷ 2 Parallelogram b × h Trapezoid (B + b) × h ÷ 2 Rhombus D × d ÷ 2
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Calculate the area of the following shaded figure by counting the grid squares. Note that each small square represents an area of $1 \text{ m}^2$. Express the final…

Calculate the area of the following shaded figure by counting the grid squares. Note that each small square represents an area of $1 \text{ m}^2$. Express the final result in square decameters ($\text{dam}^2$).

1 m²
Solve
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We want to replace the floor of a kitchen that is rectangular in shape and measures $420\text{ cm}$ long by $3\text{ m}$ wide. If we are going to use square tiles with…

We want to replace the floor of a kitchen that is rectangular in shape and measures $420\text{ cm}$ long by $3\text{ m}$ wide. If we are going to use square tiles with an area of $20\text{ dm}^2$ each:

  1. a) Calculate the total area of the kitchen in $\text{m}^2$.
  2. b) How many tiles will we need to cover the entire floor?
Solve
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The screen of a new tablet model has dimensions of $250\text{ mm}$ high by $160\text{ mm}$ wide. The manufacturer claims that the usable area of the screen is exactly…

The screen of a new tablet model has dimensions of $250\text{ mm}$ high by $160\text{ mm}$ wide. The manufacturer claims that the usable area of the screen is exactly $4\text{ dm}^2$. Is the manufacturer's claim true? Justify your answer by carrying out the necessary calculations in $\text{cm}^2$.

Usable area 4 dm² ? 250 mm 160 mm
Solve

Irregular figures

For an irregular figure, the easiest approach is to break it down into squares, rectangles, or other simple figures and add their areas. If there is a hole, its area is subtracted.

Breakdown of an L-shaped figure into two rectangles to add their individual areas. rectangle A rectangle B Total area = A + B
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Calculate the area of the following irregular figure by splitting it into squares and rectangles. Each square of the grid background represents an area of…

Calculate the area of the following irregular figure by splitting it into squares and rectangles. Each square of the grid background represents an area of $100\text{ cm}^2$. Express the final result in square decimeters ($\text{dm}^2$).

Area of 1 square: 100 cm²
Solve
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An artist wants to cover the side facade of a building with square solar panels measuring $50 \text{ cm}$ on each side. The facade is a rectangle $12 \text{ m}$ high and…

An artist wants to cover the side facade of a building with square solar panels measuring $50 \text{ cm}$ on each side. The facade is a rectangle $12 \text{ m}$ high and $3.5 \text{ dam}$ long, but 8 symmetrical windows measuring $150 \text{ dm}^2$ each must be deducted. Calculate the total number of solar panels he needs to buy to cover all the available area of the facade.

12 m 3.5 dam 150 dm² 8 windows 50 cm 50 cm
Solve
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Calculate the total area of the following composite figure made of metal parts. The main part is a rectangle $0.8 \text{ m}$ by $15 \text{ cm}$, to which square tabs…

Calculate the total area of the following composite figure made of metal parts. The main part is a rectangle $0.8 \text{ m}$ by $15 \text{ cm}$, to which square tabs measuring $25 \text{ mm}$ on each side have been welded at each of its four vertices. In addition, a circular hole with an area of $450 \text{ mm}^2$ has been drilled in the center. Express the final result in square centimeters rounded to the nearest whole number.

0.8 m 15 cm 25 mm Area = 450 mm²
Solve

Lengths and area

If each side of a figure is multiplied by $k$, the area is not multiplied by $k$, but by $k \times k = k^2$.

A square with side 1 and another with side 2: when the side doubles, the area goes from one unit to four. side 1, area 1 side 2, area 4 side × 2 area × 4
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On a scale plan of a shopping center, the main corridor is represented by a rectangle with an area of $450\text{ cm}^2$. If we know that in reality this corridor…

On a scale plan of a shopping center, the main corridor is represented by a rectangle with an area of $450\text{ cm}^2$. If we know that in reality this corridor occupies $0.18\text{ dam}^2$:

  1. a) Express both quantities in $\text{dm}^2$.
  2. b) How many times larger is the real area than the area on the plan?
Solve
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A graphic designer is creating a logo on a metal sheet. The logo consists of a central square with an area of $4 \text{ dm}^2$. Around this square, he adds four smaller…

A graphic designer is creating a logo on a metal sheet. The logo consists of a central square with an area of $4 \text{ dm}^2$. Around this square, he adds four smaller squares whose sides are half the length of the central square's side. Express the total area of the logo in square millimeters and in square decimeters using only simple form.

L L/2 4 dm²
Solve
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A map of a nature reserve has a scale such that $1 \text{ cm}^2$ on paper represents $2,500 \text{ m}^2$ in reality. If the park has an irregular shape that occupies…

A map of a nature reserve has a scale such that $1 \text{ cm}^2$ on paper represents $2,500 \text{ m}^2$ in reality. If the park has an irregular shape that occupies $480 \text{ cm}^2$ on the map, calculate its real area in hectares, ares and centiares (compound form). If a fire destroys $0.4 \text{ km}^2$ of the park, what percentage of the total area has been saved?

Solve

Problems with land and costs

Many problems combine everything: converting to the same unit, calculating areas, finding percentages, and multiplying by a price.

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For the construction of a new shopping center, a rectangular building plot measuring $2.4 \text{ hm}$ long and $150 \text{ m}$ wide has been fenced off. The municipality…

For the construction of a new shopping center, a rectangular building plot measuring $2.4 \text{ hm}$ long and $150 \text{ m}$ wide has been fenced off. The municipality requires $25 \%$ of the total area to be allocated to green spaces and another $15 \%$ to parking lots. If the remainder is divided into stores with an average area of $120 \text{ m}^2$, how many stores can be built in total?

Solve
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The floor of a sports center with an area of $12.5 \text{ dam}^2$ is going to be renovated. Boxes of heavy-duty tiles have been bought, where each box contains enough…

The floor of a sports center with an area of $12.5 \text{ dam}^2$ is going to be renovated. Boxes of heavy-duty tiles have been bought, where each box contains enough material to cover $2.5 \text{ m}^2$ and costs $\$900$. In addition to the cost of the material, the installation company charges $\$360$ per square meter laid. How much is the total bill if $5 \%$ more material than needed is bought to make up for what is wasted in cuts and breakage?

Solve
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The municipality has allocated land for school urban gardens with an area of $0.12 \text{ km}^2$ and $5.4 \text{ hm}^2$. To make better use of the land, they divide it…

The municipality has allocated land for school urban gardens with an area of $0.12 \text{ km}^2$ and $5.4 \text{ hm}^2$. To make better use of the land, they divide it into plots of $60 \text{ áreas}$ each. If each of these plots produces an average of $850 \text{ kg}$ of vegetables per year and the average market price of the vegetables is $15 \text{ \$/kg}$, calculate the total value of the production of the entire land in one harvest.

Total Land 0.12 km² + 5.4 hm² 1 Plot Area: 60 a Vegetables: 850 kg Value: $15/kg
Solve

Back to the beginning: the bedroom in $\text{m}^2$, the field in $\text{m}^2$, and a state in $\text{km}^2$ can be compared by converting everything to the same unit with the $\times 100$ ladder.

Summary

See all the exercises in this section