The idea in brief. A rectangle is finished when it is right, not when it is closed: the vertices lettered round the figure in order, every side labelled with its length, and a right-angle mark at all four corners.
Lesson video, with the working
Drawing rectangles and squares
3 min 37 s
The film teaches 2 questions in turn. Each question shows first; its working is written as the film explains it.
Draw Rectangle ABCD where AB = 6 cm and the breadth BC is half the length, on the grid below. Each small square of the grid is 1 cm by 1 cm. Letter the vertices in order, label both lengths and mark the right angles.
Draw a straight line AB, 6 cm long. Label A and B.
breadth BC = 6 ÷ 2 = 3 cm
Draw a straight line AD, parallel to BC, 3 cm long. Label D.
Draw line DC to complete the rectangle.
Mark the right angles at all four corners, and label AB as 6 cm and BC as 3 cm.
Ans: See figure: a rectangle with AB 6 cm and BC 3 cm, lettered A, B, C, D in order round the figure, with all four right angles marked and both lengths labelled.
Example 1
Draw Square ABCD of side 3 cm on the grid below. Each small square of the grid is 1 cm by 1 cm. Letter the vertices in order, mark the right angles and mark the equal sides.
Draw a straight line AB, 3 cm long. Label A and B.
Draw a perpendicular line BC, 3 cm long. Label C.
Draw a straight line AD, parallel to BC, 3 cm long. Label D.
Draw line DC to complete the square.
Mark the right angles at all four corners and mark the four equal sides.
Ans: See figure: a square of side 3 cm, lettered A, B, C, D in order round the figure, with all four right angles marked and all four sides marked equal. Any position on the grid is correct.
How to solve it
Count spaces between grid points. For a 6 centimetre side on this grid, draw AB across 6 intervals and label its ends.
Find the breadth: 6 divided by 2 is 3 centimetres. Draw BC perpendicular to AB across 3 intervals.
From A, draw AD parallel to BC and the same length. Label D.
Join D to C to complete the rectangle. Mark the right angles and label the length and breadth.
For the square, use 3 intervals for every side and turn at right angles.
Check the letters go round in order. Mark all right angles and, for the square, all equal sides.
Count the intervals, turn at right angles, and finish the labels and marks.
Practice questions with worked solutions
Question 1 is free to try. The other 7 open in the free trial, each with its full working.
Question 1 of 8 · Basic · free to tryDraw Rectangle ABCD where AB = 5 cm and BC = 3 cm on the grid below. Each…Draw Rectangle ABCD where AB =…
Draw Rectangle ABCD where AB = 5 cm and BC = 3 cm on the grid below. Each small square of the grid is 1 cm by 1 cm. Letter the vertices in order, label both lengths and mark the right angles.
Work it out on paper, then open the working and check your answer against it.
Draw a straight line AB, 5 cm long. Label A and B.
Draw a perpendicular line BC, 3 cm long. Label C.
Draw a straight line AD, parallel to BC, 3 cm long. Label D.
Draw line DC to complete the rectangle.
Mark the right angles at all four corners, and label AB as 5 cm and BC as 3 cm.
Answer: See figure: a rectangle with AB 5 cm and BC 3 cm, lettered A, B, C, D in order round the figure, with all four right angles marked and both lengths labelled. Any position on the grid is correct.
For parents
What helps my child with drawing rectangles and squares accurately?
Drawing a rectangle or square requires correct lengths and corners, whether or not a grid is provided.
What your child learns here
Drawing a rectangle or square requires correct lengths and corners, whether or not a grid is provided. The Primary 4 drawing outcome becomes a practical sequence of measuring a side, constructing perpendicular sides and closing the figure. On ungridded paper, a ruler controls distance and a set square or protractor establishes right angles; the current practice questions also provide grids to support those constructions.
Distinguish the length and breadth given for a rectangle from the single side length that determines every side of a square.
Measure from the ruler's zero mark and identify the endpoints of the first side before constructing the next sides.
Use a set square or a 90° protractor reading to make the neighbouring sides perpendicular, keeping their lengths as specified.
Join the remaining vertices and verify the completed figure against all its conditions, rather than checking only the first side.
Does the answer make sense?
For a rectangle drawn with length 7 cm and breadth 4 cm, the opposite sides must also measure 7 cm and 4 cm, and every corner must be 90°. Your child should check the final closing side as well as the first three, because a sloping side can reveal that an earlier corner was not perpendicular.
How to practise these questions
The current questions provide square grids for the constructions. Basic practice gives a rectangle's dimensions directly. Intermediate questions vary the order of the named sides, ask for a square or require a missing side to be found from area. The Challenge tasks involve a perimeter, a reshaped wire or a side relationship before the figure can be drawn and named. Have your child calculate any missing length first, then complete the requested drawing with its labels and marks. Compare both the measurements and the marking of equal sides or right angles with the solution. Using the supplied grid supports placement, while the ruler and angle checks establish the shape properties that also matter on plain paper.
Questions parents ask
Can my child draw a rectangle with only a ruler? A ruler measures and draws straight sides, but its length scale alone does not establish a right angle. A set square or protractor supplies that angle check. Your child may produce an outline that looks rectangular freehand, yet a construction question asks for the stated dimensions and the shape properties to hold together accurately.
Why does the last side fail to meet the expected point? The earlier lengths or angles may need another measurement. Ask your child to revisit one side and one corner at a time, keeping the given starting side fixed. Pulling the final line towards a convenient point can close the outline while changing the intended rectangle. The finished shape should satisfy every given dimension, not just form a loop.
How much help should I give with the drawing tools? You can help steady the paper and ask which property the next action establishes. Let your child place the zero mark, align the right angle and choose the endpoint. Those small actions are the mathematical work of the task. Afterward, measuring the completed figure together provides a concrete way to discuss any adjustment needed.
