Step by step
The question
Question: find the area of the square with corners (−2, −3), (2, −3), (2, 1), (−2, 1).
square: (−2, −3), (2, −3), (2, 1), (−2, 1)
1 Plot the points
We put the corners on the grid.
Corner A is (−2, −3).
And so on.
We join them in order.
2 Find the side lengths
A B: the same y, so it goes across.
Its length is the bigger x minus the smaller: 2 minus −2 is 4.
= AB: 2 − (−2) = 4
Careful!
−2 is on the other side of 0.
Minus a negative is plus: 2 plus 2.
Careful: not 2 − 2 = 0 ✗
B C: the same x, so it goes up and down.
Its length is the bigger y minus the smaller: 1 minus −3 is 4.
= BC: 1 − (−3) = 4
3 Area
The area of a square is length times width.
= area = length × width
4 times 4 is 16 square units.
= area = 4 × 4 = 16 square units
4 Check
Let's check: count the squares inside.
4 rows of 4 squares: 16.
So the answer is right!
4 rows of 4 squares = 16 squares
Let's look back.
First: plot the points.
Then: find the side lengths.
Then: area.
Last: check.
Answer
= area = 4 × 4 = 16 square units