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Summaries · Grade 5 Maths › Composite shapes and tessellations
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Composite shapes and tessellations

Shapes that cover a surface with no gaps, and building shapes from other shapes. Splitting figures into simple shapes to find area and perimeter. Read one part at a time and tap “I know this”. Then test yourself in the quiz.

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Tessellations

A tessellation covers a surface with no gaps or overlaps, like floor tiles. Squares, rectangles, triangles and regular hexagons tessellate. Circles do not tessellate: they always leave gaps.

Composite shapes are made by putting simple shapes together: two triangles make a square.

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Patterns around us

WhereExample
In natureThe hexagons in a honeycomb; a butterfly’s symmetrical wings
In everyday lifeFloor tiles, a brick wall, a soccer ball
In our cultural heritageNdebele wall paintings and Zulu beadwork
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Composite figures

  1. Split the figure into rectangles.
  2. Find each part’s area by counting the squares.
  3. Add the parts (or subtract a cut-out part). Half squares: 2 halves = 1 whole.

L-shape on a grid: one rectangle of 6 × 2 = 12 squares and one of 2 × 3 = 6 squares. Area = 12 + 6 = 18 squares.

Meerkat tip

For the perimeter count only the outside edge, not the lines where you split it.

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Shapes inside shapes

Count triangles or squares in a figure systematically: first the small single ones, then those made of two, then bigger ones.

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Remember this and test yourself

Remember this: your summary
  • Tessellation: no gaps or overlaps.
  • Split into rectangles and count the squares.
  • Squares, rectangles, triangles and regular hexagons tessellate; circles do not.
  • Add the areas.
  • Two triangles can make a square.
  • Perimeter: only the outside edge.

Write these points in your book. Read them again the night before the test.

Memory trick

Like a honeycomb: hexagons with no gaps.

Flash cards · Tap to turn over

Important words

First say the answer yourself, then turn the card over.

Now the real quiz!

The quiz has many more questions on this topic. Every question shows straight away whether you are right and explains why.

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