Understanding the Area Addition Postulate: Calculating the Total Area of Composite Figures

Area Addition Postulate (Composite Figures)

The Area Addition Postulate is a concept in math that states that the total area of a composite figure, which is made up of two or more separate figures, can be found by adding the areas of each individual figure together

The Area Addition Postulate is a concept in math that states that the total area of a composite figure, which is made up of two or more separate figures, can be found by adding the areas of each individual figure together.

To understand this concept, let’s consider an example. Let’s say we have a composite figure made up of two rectangles, as shown below:

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The figure can be divided into two separate rectangles – one on the left and one on the right. Let’s assume that the rectangle on the left has a length of 4 units and a width of 3 units, while the rectangle on the right has a length of 2 units and a width of 5 units.

To find the total area of the composite figure, we can calculate the area of each rectangle separately and then add them together.

Area of the rectangle on the left = length * width = 4 units * 3 units = 12 square units
Area of the rectangle on the right = length * width = 2 units * 5 units = 10 square units

Total area of the composite figure = area of left rectangle + area of right rectangle = 12 square units + 10 square units = 22 square units

Therefore, the total area of the composite figure is 22 square units.

The Area Addition Postulate can be applied to more complex composite figures as well. In such cases, you will need to break down the composite figure into simpler shapes (like rectangles, triangles, circles, etc.) and calculate the area of each individual shape. Then, add up the areas of all the individual shapes to get the total area of the composite figure.

Remember, when using the Area Addition Postulate, you need to ensure that the figures you are using to calculate the area are non-overlapping and cover the entire composite figure. This way, you won’t miss any area while adding up the individual areas.

In conclusion, the Area Addition Postulate is a helpful tool for finding the total area of a composite figure by adding up the areas of each separate figure that make up the composite.

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