• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Customer Service
  • My Account
  • Cart

RightStart™ Mathematics by Activities for Learning, Inc.

Menu
  • Curriculum
    • The RightStart™ Difference
    • RightStart™ for Home School
    • RightStart™ Tutoring
    • RightStart™ for Classrooms
    • Research
    • Spotlight on Kids
  • Games
  • Resources
    • Take the Placement Test
    • Recorded Webinars
    • Sample Lessons
    • Teaching Support
    • Levels G and H
    • Apps
    • Songs
    • Calendar
    • Social Media / Articles
    • FAQs
  • Blog
  • About
    • About the Author
    • Our Staff
    • Awards & Reviews
    • Customer Testimonials
    • Our Affiliate Program
  • Contact
    • Submit a Testimonial
    • Request a Presentation
    • Request an Event Speaker
    • Request a Classroom Quote
    • Request Professional Development
  • Placement Test
  • Shop

12 Square Inches vs 12 Inches Squared

May 4, 2017 by Kathleen Cotter Clayton

In RS2 Level C, Lesson 109, the child is introduced to measuring area. After a problem of square inches is discussed, the lesson shows the child how to write 12 square inches: 12 in². Then, there’s an explanation on the side that reads:

Be sure to read 12 in² as “twelve square inches.” Avoid saying “twelve inches squared,” which has an entirely different meaning.

Kirsten sent us an email and wanted a more complete explanation of the different meaning of twelve inches squared. Good question, Kirsten!

Ok. I will confess I had to go to Dr. Cotter to clarify this for both of us! So here it is.

First, if you say “12 inches,” that’s easy. It’s just 12 inches!

When we have an area 4 inches wide by 3 inches tall, it’s 12 square inches.

It’s a measurement of area, indicated by the word “square” and the little ². The measurement for the area under discussion is inches. Hence the name “12 square inches,” written by “12 in².”

Now, if you say “12 squared,” it calculates to 144, right?

12² = 144

Extending that, if you say “12 inches squared,” it’s a logical process to square 12 inches, giving us 144 inches.

So “12 inches squared” is a long distance of 144 inches and “12 square inches” is a 3 by 4 inch area. Or 2 by 6. Or 1 by 12. You get my drift.

That’s why it’s so important to read 12 in² as twelve square inches!
FacebookTwitterPinterestPrintFriendly

Filed Under: 2. Lessons, 4. General Info, 7. Classroom Tagged With: dr. cotter, inches squared, Level C, RightStart, RightStart Math, RightStart Mathematics, square inches

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nilufer Jackson says

    June 4, 2017 at 7:57 am

    12 inches squared is 12 inches times 12 inches which makes 144 square inches.

  2. Theresa says

    January 17, 2018 at 8:19 am

    My question is Calvin’s blank art canvas measures 27 inches by 9 inches. which number sentence shows how many square inches he has available to paint?
    27 + 9
    27-9
    27*9
    27/9

    • Rachel Anderson says

      January 17, 2018 at 8:30 am

      Hi, Theresa.

      The answer would be 27 x 9. He would have 243 square inches available to paint.

  3. Joscelym says

    January 17, 2018 at 9:38 pm

    My question is
    Find the area of the 12 inch square..(the answer will be in squar inches) what is the correct formula for that?

    • Rachel Anderson says

      January 18, 2018 at 6:20 am

      Hi, Joscelym,

      The term ’12 square inches’ is referring to area. Area is calculated by the formula w x h (width times height).

      The term ’12 inches squared’ is referring to a calculation being made. When you square something, you are multiplying the same number two times. In the case of 12 inches squared, you will be calculating 12 inches x 12 inches. This would not be referring to area, but suggesting that a calculation is to be made. Think of it without the term ‘inches’. Twelve squared would be 12 x 12. The term inches is just informing you that the 12 is a measurement.

      I hope that helps! If you have any further questions, please feel free to post them here or email RightStart Math directly at [email protected].

  4. George Seager says

    March 8, 2019 at 6:45 pm

    I have a butcher block that measures 24″x24″what is the sq inches

    • Kathleen Lawler says

      March 11, 2019 at 4:15 pm

      The area would be the length, 24″, multiplied by the width, 24″, which is 576 square inches.

  5. Arthur says

    March 9, 2019 at 12:57 pm

    My question is a common floor tile is 12 inches square,meaning,12 inches on all 4 sides.What is the area?

    • Kathleen Lawler says

      March 11, 2019 at 4:08 pm

      The area would be 12 x 12, or 144 square inches.

  6. Anonymous person? says

    February 11, 2020 at 4:53 pm

    I’m confused aren’t they technically the same thing??? what would the answer be if you went 12 inched squared instead of 12 squared inches??? Why do we have to be so specific with math terms they are just words.

    • Kathleen Lawler says

      February 12, 2020 at 9:06 am

      Square inches indicates a measurement of area. It’s how area is measured. Inches squared is a “call for action,” meaning the number of inches needs to be multiplied by itself, or squared.

      The order of words does matter. Think of a person named Ryan Carter and another named Carter Ryan. They are two different people. The order of the words definitely matters to both Ryan and Carter!

  7. Betty says

    November 26, 2020 at 10:28 am

    Why in the world does a skillet say it’s 120 square inches?? How many inches is it?
    Why not just say 10x 12 or something? Whatever it is????

    • Kathleen Lawler says

      November 30, 2020 at 9:40 am

      It’s a marketing tactic, in my opinion. I think 120 square inches sounds like so much more than 10 by 12!

      But, that said, it could also be a round skillet that has a diameter of 6.18 or circumference of 38.8. Or a rectangular skillet with rounded corners….

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • 1. Card Games
  • 2. Lessons
  • 3. Struggling Learner
  • 4. General Info
  • 5. News
  • 6. Montessori
  • 7. Classroom

What our Customers Are Saying

Thank you so much for your RightStart Math Curriculum. I have been using it for 3 years with my son and my daughter is beginning her second year. I love the strategies you use for teaching math and the lessons are fun to teach.
Jennifer Traugott
My daughter is 7 and this is our 2nd year to use RightStart Math. She is in 2nd grade and is adding and subtracting 4 digits numbers with trading like it is nothing. She also can do her multiplications. The most amazing thing is that when she is somewhere and has to spend her money she is quick to tell them how much change she needs back. I have seen a lot of teenagers and adults who cannot do thi… Read more
Jana Owens
My daughter is in 4th grade this year. Math has always been a struggle for her, as it was for her father. I discovered that she has dyslexia (which is hereditary). I didn’t realize that had any effect on math, but I found out that people with dyslexia cannot learn with rote memorization or sequential skills. This makes it harder for them to remember math facts or how to do algorithms. Before I kne… Read more
Anna Knotts

Footer

RightStart™ Mathematics logo
Shop Online Apps Customer Service
Copyright © 2023 Activities For Learning, Inc. | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | Developed by Vivid Image
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Curriculum
    • The RightStart™ Difference
    • RightStart™ for Home School
    • RightStart™ Tutoring
    • RightStart™ for Classrooms
    • Research
    • Spotlight on Kids
    • Back
  • Games
  • Resources
    • Take the Placement Test
    • Recorded Webinars
    • Sample Lessons
    • Teaching Support
    • Levels G and H
    • Apps
    • Songs
    • Calendar
    • Social Media / Articles
    • FAQs
    • RightStart™ Math Online Conference 2023
    • Back
  • Blog
  • About
    • About the Author
    • Our Staff
    • Awards & Reviews
    • Customer Testimonials
    • Our Affiliate Program
    • Back
  • Contact
    • Submit a Testimonial
    • Request a Presentation
    • Request an Event Speaker
    • Request a Classroom Quote
    • Request Professional Development
    • Back
  • Placement Test
  • Shop
  • Customer Service
  • My Account
  • Cart