How to measure the edge of a shape with Numberblocks

It’s Numberland’s Great Bug Race! One to Four's pet bugs are racing on special tracks, but can they follow the perimeter? Numberblocks are on hand to help your little one learn about numbers and start to understand maths concepts through fun stories.

What is the perimeter?

The perimeter is the length all the way around the edge of a shape. The pet bugs make their way around the square and the distance they travel is called the perimeter. 

What are the rules when measuring?

The pet bugs must follow the rules, otherwise they will be disqualified!

1. Always follow the line.

Dottie, the red bug, walked too far by wobbling all over the line. You must follow the edge of the shape exactly to find the perimeter.

Sixteen, the commentator, looks on and grins, gesturing to a wobbly red line that traces the path of a pet bug's journey roughly around the perimeter of a square, travelling too far to get an accurate perimeter. .

2. Don't cut any corners.

Trio, the yellow bug, cut corners by going inside the line. That isn't fair and square! You must stick to the line or your perimeter measurement will be wrong.

3. Always finish where you started.

Tutu, the orange bug, thinks she finished, but she didn't finish where she started. She didn't complete her measurement of the perimeter.

Sixteen, the commentator, looks on and grins, gesturing to a haphazard orange line that traces the path of a pet bug's journey around the perimeter of a square until it veers off to the right, missing the very last part of the journey, .

Who do you think won the race?

Trio finished first, but cut corners.

Next, Tutu left the line before she had finished, so she didn't make it the whole way around the shape.

Finally, Dottie ran all the way around but in a wobbly line so she ran much too far.

That leaves... Little Square Bug! Although the green bug was the third to finish, they stuck to the perimeter, they didn't cut corners and they finished where they started. Little Square Bug wins Numberland’s Great Bug Race fair and square!

A birds-eye view of four square race tracks. The trail taken by four bugs is marked by colourful lines. All except the green lines are wiggly and all over the place.

More Numberblocks on CBeebies

There's so much to discover with Numberblocks!

More sneak peeks from Numberblocks:

Where to watch Numberblocks

You can watch more episodes of Numberblocks on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer. Start with series one and learn about the different numbers and progress to more complicated maths and numeracy as your child learns and improves.

Have you watched all the current episodes? A brand new seriesof Numberblocks is coming to BBC iPlayer with even more exciting ways for your little ones to learn about numbers and beyond!

Or discover more from the Blocks Universe, with Wonderblocks, Alphablocks and Colourblocks.

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