Maryland Math 3.GR.C.7.a
The Standard
- 3.GR.C.7
- Relate area to multiplication and addition.
Determine the area of a rectangle with whole-number side lengths by tiling and connecting the visual representation to multiplication of the side lengths to solve problems in context.
Maryland College and Career Ready Standards for Mathematics (2025) · UNDERSTAND CONCEPTS OF AREA AND PERIMETER.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students cover rectangles with equal square tiles and count all the tiles. They connect rows and columns to multiplication. They use that multiplication to solve area problems about familiar spaces.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student tiles a 4-by-6 rectangle without gaps or overlaps and writes 4 × 6 = 24. They explain that the rectangle covers 24 square units.
Common Misconceptions
- Some students count only the tiles around the edge. Others add the side lengths instead of multiplying, or label the answer in units instead of square units.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Draw a rectangle that is 3 units by 5 units on a square grid. Shade its area, write a multiplication equation, and label your answer.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs square tiles to build a 3-by-5 rectangle, then have them count tiles and write a multiplication equation.
Show a tiled 4-by-6 rectangle and ask, “Why does 4 × 6 give the same answer as counting every tile?”
Have students roll two dice, draw a rectangle with those side lengths on grid paper, and check a partner’s area equation.
Draw a 4-foot by 3-foot garden bed on a 1-foot grid and calculate how many square feet need soil.
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Printable 3.GR.C.7.a Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 3.GR.C.7.a, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
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Represent and explain the computation by connecting rectangular arrays, area models, and/or equations to the meaning of multiplication.
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- 4.GR.A.4
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