Grade level:  5th grades

Skills: Geometry (Area & Perimeter)

Related environmental issues: Energy

Area level: National, State, Regional, Household

Alayna likes renewable energy and plans to ask her parents to buy solar panels for their house.  She found out that her family needs a total of 4,000 watts of solar panels to generate enough electricity for their house.

1. She found a 250 watt-solar panel as shown in the picture at a home improvement store.  Find the perimeter of the solar panel.
2. Find the area of the solar panel.
3. To have a total of 4,000 watts of solar panels for the Alayna’s house, how many solar panels does she need?
4. To have a total of 4,000 watts of solar panels on the roof, how many square feet of their roof is needed?

————————————————————-

Answer keys

1. 16 feet ( 5 + 3 + 5 + 3 = 16 )
2. 15 square feet ( 5 x 3 = 15 )
3. 16 solar panels (4,000 / 250 = 16)
4. 15 x 16 = 240 square feet