Appearing Square

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

Make an eight by eight square, the layout is the same as a chessboard. You can print out and use the square below.

What is the area of the square?

Divide the square in the way shown by the red dashed lines. Cut along the red lines.

Rearrange the four pieces to make a rectangle that has one side of five squares.

What is the size of the other side?

What is the area of the rectangle you have constructed?

Is there a difference between the two areas that you found?

Can you explain your results?

Published October 2001.

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