Algebra 1: Area "FOILed" Again!

In the first problem, students investigate the distributive property to simplify an expression for the area of a rectangle. The interactive program AREA allows students to change the width of the rectangle, changing the number students need to distribute.

Students will also make the connection between the 4 terms produced when using the FOIL method and the 4 areas of the smaller rectangles. Using the interactive option in the program AREA, students can enter the numbers of the binomials representing the sides of the rectangle. The process of calculating the area is demonstrated by using FOIL and then combining like terms.