Rimwe Educational Resources LLC

Dr. Diana S. Perdue

Small Group Activity: Picks Formula Name: (or Using Geoboards to Explore Polygons Area) Part I: Introduction

Research shows that students learn mathematics concepts better when those concepts are presented in a concrete way before they are made more abstract. We are going to use manipulatives (mathematical modeling tools used to give concrete examples for various concepts) to explore area of polygons. The manipulative we will be using today are called Geoboards they come in different sizes and styles but all are square boards with pegs that can be used with rubber bands to create various shapes. To prepare for this activity, you need to refresh yourself on some basic definitions. First, recall our class definition for polygon from the previous activity and record it here:

Next, based on that definition, define the following terms: (Note: remember to follow our rules for writing good geometric definitions.) 1. Triangle 2. Quadrilateral 3. Pentagon 4. Hexagon 5. Heptagon 6. Octagon 7. Diagonal 8. Side 9. Vertex

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Rimwe Educational Resources LLC

Dr. Diana S. Perdue

Now, using our text, the Internet, or any other resource youd like, write the formulas requested below. Remember to state what each variable stands for; for example, the Area(square) = s2 where s = the length of the side of the square. 1. A(rectangle) = 2. A(triangle) = 3. A(regular polygon) =

Part II: Action

In 1899 a mathematician named Georg Pick discovered a formula (direct rule) for calculating the area of a polygon on a Geoboard using only two variables, the number of interior points (pegs found inside the polygon) and the number of boundary points (pegs that are touching a rubber band, can also think of as vertices of the polygon). In this activity, we will re-discover his formula through exploration. Because our intent is to discover a formula that works for all polygons, we will first explore with polygons that we can easily see the answer. As an example, look at the two polygons shown on Geoboards below:
l m m Edot spacing = 0.8 in.
d tp c g os a i n

Polygon #1

Polygon #2

Can you see that the area of Polygon #1 is 8 squares? Polygon #2, however, is harder because not all the squares are whole. However, by the time we are done, you will be able to easily calculate the area of Polygon #2 using only the number of interior and exterior points. Since we are looking for patterns, we will take a systematic approach to the polygons we create. For example, well try to make several polygons with the same area but that have different numbers of interior and boundary points so we can determine the effect they have on the result.

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Rimwe Educational Resources LLC

Dr. Diana S. Perdue

You will need a Geoboard and a small handful of rubber bands. I will lead you in creating various polygons and ask you to determine the area of each. As we create each polygon, record the information in the table below. Note that we are using a heuristic of making a systematic list or table to try to solve our problem. Area of the Polygon Number of Number of (in squares) Interior Points Boundary Points

Part III: Integration

As you know from our previous activity, often we want to express the results of our activities using mathematical models, specifically direct formulas. By now you have noticed certain patterns in finding the area of polygons using the Geoboards. To determine the direct formula, read the Exploration on page 430 and do the activity described on page 431. Then, write the complete Picks Formula in the box below (Note: remember to define any variables you use.)

Dont forget to check your formula and make sure it works!!

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