Example 1 · level 1 — a gentle start
An L-shape is made of a 3×5 rectangle and a 2×5 rectangle. What is its total area?
- 25
- 15
- 150
- 28
Answer: 25 — Split the shape into rectangles, work out each area, then add them.
11+ compound area and perimeter questions
Compound area and perimeter comes up in the maths paper of every major 11+ format. Here is what the questions look like, the method that works under time pressure, and five worked examples with the full reasoning, from a gentle start to a hard paper.
Maths · examined by GL and CEM · 5 worked examples
What your child needs to know
- Split an L-shape into two rectangles. Work out each area, then add them together.
- For area, splitting always works. Never multiply the two rectangles together.
Where marks get lost: Neat fact: an L-shape's PERIMETER is the same as the perimeter of the box that just contains it.
Worked examples
Every question below is generated by the same engine your child practises on, and every answer is derived by our checker rather than written by hand — which is why we can put them on a public page at all.
Example 2 · level 2 — typical of early practice
An L-shape is made of a 8×8 rectangle and a 5×5 rectangle. What is its total area?
- 64
- 26
- 89
- 1600
Answer: 89 — Split the shape into rectangles, work out each area, then add them.
Example 3 · level 3 — standard paper difficulty
An L-shape is made of a 12×11 rectangle and a 3×5 rectangle. What is its total area?
- 147
- 132
- 31
- 1980
Answer: 147 — Split the shape into rectangles, work out each area, then add them.
Example 4 · level 4 — a harder paper
An L-shape is made of a 4×16 rectangle and a 16×14 rectangle. What is its total area?
- 64
- 14336
- 288
- 50
Answer: 288 — Split the shape into rectangles, work out each area, then add them.
Example 5 · level 5 — the level that separates candidates
An L-shape sits inside a bounding box 29 wide and 25 tall. What is its perimeter?
- 32448
- 108
- 169
- 54
Answer: 108 — The perimeter of an L-shape equals the perimeter of the box that just contains it.
How to practise this at home
- Work in short, frequent sessions. Ten minutes daily beats an hour at the weekend, because the recall gap is what builds memory.
- Insist on written working, even for questions your child can do in their head — under exam pressure the method is what survives.
- When an answer is wrong, ask them to explain their reasoning before you correct it. The error is almost always in one step, not the whole approach.
Practise compound area and perimeter with a tutor that explains
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