Finding the area of shapes by counting unit squares on a grid, understanding that area measures the space inside a shape.
Where your child meets this in real life: Understanding floor tiles, counting squares on graph paper to compare sizes
Each SEAG paper has 28 maths questions. Questions 29 to 50 are multiple choice with five possible answers, and questions 51 to 56 need a short written answer. With 56 questions in 60 minutes across English and maths, that is about a minute per question.
SEAGReady breaks area by counting squares into 2 steps, taught in order so each skill builds on the last.
Count whole unit squares to find the area of rectangles and simple rectilinear shapes on a grid
Find the area of shapes with diagonal edges by identifying and combining half squares
Try three free questions from our area by counting squares course. They start easy and get harder, so you can see where your child's confidence runs out. If they manage the last one without a hint, this topic is probably secure. If not, the steps above show where to start.
Leah draws a rectangle on squared paper that is 3 squares wide and 4 squares tall. How many unit squares are inside her rectangle?
Ronan draws a right-angled triangle on a 5 by 5 square grid. It contains 10 whole squares and 5 half squares. What is the triangle's area?
Leah compares two shapes on square grids. Shape P is a right-angled triangle with 6 whole squares and 4 half squares. Shape Q is a rectangle with 2 rows of 4 whole squares. Which shape has the larger area?
This is the exact interactive worked example your child sees in SEAGReady. Step through it and watch the method build up.
Hannah is designing a mosaic pattern. She draws a rectangle on squared paper that is 4 squares wide and 3 squares tall.
How many unit squares are inside her rectangle?
Area = ? square units
Area is the space INSIDE the shape
Step 1 of 4
Hannah is designing a mosaic pattern. She draws a rectangle on squared paper that is 4 squares wide and 3 squares tall.
How many unit squares are inside her rectangle?
The rectangle has an area of 12 square units.
The key insight: Area counts the squares INSIDE the shape, not along the edges!
Common mix-up: Adding 4 + 3 + 4 + 3 = 14. That adds the outside edge lengths and finds the perimeter. Area counts the 12 unit squares inside the rectangle.
These are the misconceptions we see most often in area by counting squares, including the ones our practice questions are specifically designed to catch.
Sitting the SEAG test this November? Read our last-month revision plan, Paper 1 vs Paper 2 and test day guide.
SEAGReady finds the exact step where your child gets stuck, teaches it with worked examples like the one above, and brings it back for review so it sticks.
Free to start · no card needed