Is a square a rectangle?
Problem
How many rectangles can you find in this shape?
How many of the rectangles are differently shaped?
Can you find any that are 'similar' - that is the same shape but a different size?
Getting Started
Did you know that a square is a special sort of rectangle?
Can you think what is the difference is?
Student Solutions
We have had a solution from someone who unfortunately didn't give his or her name, but it says that there are $14$ different rectangles:
| 
 
 1  | 
 
 2  | 
 
 3  | 
 
 4  | 
 
 5  | 
| 
 
 6  | 
 
 7  | 
 
 8  | 
 
 9  | 
 
 10  | 
| 
 
 11  | 
 
 12  | 
 
 13  | 
 
 14  | 
Rectangles 1 and 4 are the same as each other.
Rectangles 5, 8, 10 and 12 are the same as each other.
Rectangles 6 and 11 (which are squares) are the same as each
other.
Rectangles 3 and 13 are also squares but they are not the same as
each other. They are similar to 6 and 11.
Rectangles 2, 7, 9 and 14 are different to each other and not
similar to any other rectangle.