Year 5 Maths · Area and perimeter
Year 5 area and perimeter worksheet
Area and perimeter describe different features of a shape. These tasks contrast covering a surface with following its boundary. Learners calculate both measures, find a missing side and explain why two rectangles can have equal areas but different perimeters.
Free · No account needed · 6 original questions · 3 A4 pages · worked answers
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Your worksheet at a glance
Open PDF to preview or print. Print pages 1–2 for questions; page 3 contains all answers and worked explanations. Select A4 and actual size (100%). Keep the answer page aside for an independent attempt.
What you'll practise
A method to use
- Decide whether the problem asks about inside coverage or distance around the boundary.
- For a rectangle, multiply length by width for area; add all four sides for perimeter.
- Use square units for area and length units for perimeter. Check that both side lengths use the same unit.
See a worked example
A rectangle is 5 cm long and 3 cm wide. Find its area and perimeter.
- Area: 5 × 3 = 15 square centimetres (cm²).
- Perimeter: 5 + 3 + 5 + 3 = 16 cm.
A mistake to watch for
Multiplying two side lengths gives area, not perimeter. A fence follows the outside; tiles cover the inside. Use the context to choose.
Preview every worksheet question
These are the same six questions as the PDF. Use paper for calculations, sketches and explanations.
1. Find the area of this 6 cm by 4 cm rectangle.
2. Find the perimeter of a rectangle with length 7 cm and width 3 cm.
3. A rectangular garden is 8 m long and 5 m wide. What length of fencing encloses it with no gap?
4. A rectangle has area 36 cm² and length 9 cm. What is its width?
5. A rectangular mat is 4 m long and 3 m wide. How many square metres does it cover?
6. A 6 cm by 2 cm rectangle and a 4 cm by 3 cm rectangle both have area 12 cm². How much larger is the first perimeter? Explain.
Answer key and worked solutions
The PDF includes this answer page. Reveal the HTML version when you are ready to compare your method.
Show all six answers and explanations
- 24 cm²
Area counts the square units inside: 6 × 4 = 24 cm².
- 20 cm
Add all four sides: 7 + 3 + 7 + 3 = 20 cm.
- 26 m
Fencing follows the boundary. The perimeter is 2 × (8 + 5) = 26 m.
- 4 cm
Length × width is 36, so width = 36 ÷ 9 = 4 cm.
- 12 m²
The mat covers 4 × 3 = 12 square metres. This is area, not boundary length.
- 2 cm
The first perimeter is 16 cm; the second is 14 cm. The difference is 2 cm, showing that equal areas need not have equal perimeters.
For parents and teachers
Ask the learner to trace the boundary with a finger, then sweep across the inside. This physical distinction helps the formula choices make sense. The last problem compares two shapes with the same area and is worth discussing even after a correct answer. A labelled sketch is enough; diagrams are not measuring tasks.
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