Hockey Rink Geometry: Area, Perimeter, and Scale Drawings

Model the boundary first

For a first model, treat the rink as a rectangle 60 m long and 30 m wide. Its perimeter is 2L + 2W: 2(60) + 2(30) = 180 m. That is the distance around the outside of the rectangular model.

Real facilities can use different layouts and rounded corners, so label an example as a model rather than assuming every rink has the same measurements.

Find the area inside

The rectangular area is length × width: 60 × 30 = 1,800 m². Square metres describe the amount of surface inside the boundary, while metres describe a length. Keeping the unit in the answer helps you tell area and perimeter apart.

If the width stays 30 m and the length grows by 5 m, the area grows by 5 × 30 = 150 m². That gives a quick way to reason about a change without starting over.

Add curved pieces carefully

The same circle can contribute a distance to a perimeter calculation or a surface amount to an area calculation. The formula follows the question, not the picture’s theme.

1. Identify the radius or diameter of the curved part.
2. Choose the matching circle formula: circumference uses 2πr and area uses πr².
3. Calculate the curved contribution separately before combining it with straight sections.
4. Round only at the final step and include square or linear units.

Shrink the rink with a scale

On a 1:100 scale drawing, every real length is divided by 100. A 60 m model length becomes 0.60 m, or 60 cm, on paper. The area scale changes differently: the drawing area is divided by 100² because both length and width shrink.

Before measuring a drawing, write the scale in words. “One centimetre represents one metre” is easier to use than a bare ratio when you are checking your work.