Small Group Work - Problem Solve Students break into cooperative groups and brainstorm the solution to the problem. Have color tiles available for students to use to set up the different seating arrangements. Touching only at the corners is not acceptable as in a stairlike manner. If some of the tables need to be separated from others that would work as well. Have them keep track of the number of tables, their perimeters, their areas, and how many chairs the table arrangement would accommodate.
Students share their arrangements with the entire class.
Have the overhead projector available for students to use to demonstrate their arrangements. Review the concept of congruency if students use shapes that are the same but whose position orientation is different. Shapes that can be flipped, rotated or slid to fit on top of another shape are congruent. Only one of the shapes can be used. Have students eliminate the table arrangements that are not rectangles.