Altar Math
Parsha Pages Youth | February 12, 2024
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Altar Math

Parsha Pages Youth | December 10, 2025

Altar Math

What is area?
Area is a measure of how much space there is on a flat surface. For example, two sheets of paper have twice the area of a single sheet, because there is twice as much space to write on.
Different shapes have different ways to find the area. For example, in a rectangle we find the area by multiplying the length times the width. In the rectangle on the right, the area is 2×4 or 8. If you count the small squares you will find there are 8 of them.

Units
Area is measured in square units. For example, in the rectangle above, if the sides are 2 and 4 meters long, then the area is 8 square meters. If the sides were 2 feet and 4 feet long the area would be 8 square feet. The most important thing to remember when calculating area is that all the dimensions must be in the same units.

Area of a rectangle
From Latin: area - "level ground, an open space,"
The number of square units it takes to completely fill a rectangle.
Formula: Width × Height or Width X Length

COPPER ALTAR OF THE MISHKAN (Altar of Moshe)

Rebbi Yehudah and Rabbi Yossi disagree concerning this Altar (Zevachim 59-60):

RABBI YEHUDAHRABBI YOSSI1. The height of the Altar
Three Amos (plus one for the Keranos)Nine Amos (plus one for the Keranos)2. Height of the curtains around the Courtyard
Ten AmosFifteen AmosExplanation of the verse –“five amos long, five amos wide and three amos high”
5 by 5 in four squares = 10 X 10 amos
Three amos high - literally5 by 5 amos literally
Three amos refers to the top section3. The top horizontal area
Ten Amos squared = 100 AmosFive Amos squared = 25 Amos4. Unusable otter square of the Keranos and the area in between
Four rows of One Amah = 4 Amos squared = 16 AmosFour rows of One Amah = 4 Amos squared = 16 Amos5. Usable area of the top of the Altar for korbanos less row of 4 Keranos (corner)???? ????

What is the ratio of usable area of Rabbi Yehuda to the usable area of Rabbi Yossi?

Bonus Question: Explain why the height of the curtains are so high?

_____________________________________________________________________________

Altar Math

What is area?
Area is a measure of how much space there is on a flat surface. For example, two sheets of paper have twice the area of a single sheet, because there is twice as much space to write on.
Different shapes have different ways to find the area. For example, in a rectangle we find the area by multiplying the length times the width. In the rectangle on the right, the area is 2×4 or 8. If you count the small squares you will find there are 8 of them.

Units
Area is measured in square units. For example, in the rectangle above, if the sides are 2 and 4 meters long, then the area is 8 square meters. If the sides were 2 feet and 4 feet long the area would be 8 square feet. The most important thing to remember when calculating area is that all the dimensions must be in the same units.

Area of a rectangle
From Latin: area - "level ground, an open space,"
The number of square units it takes to completely fill a rectangle.
Formula: Width × Height or Width X Length

COPPER ALTAR OF THE MISHKAN (Altar of Moshe)

Rebbi Yehudah and Rabbi Yossi disagree concerning this Altar (Zevachim 59-60):

RABBI YEHUDAHRABBI YOSSI1. The height of the Altar
Three Amos (plus one for the Keranos)Nine Amos (plus one for the Keranos)2. Height of the curtains around the Courtyard
Ten AmosFifteen AmosExplanation of the verse –“five amos long, five amos wide and three amos high”
5 by 5 in four squares = 10 X 10 amos
Three amos high - literally5 by 5 amos literally
Three amos refers to the top section3. The top horizontal area
Ten Amos squared = 100 AmosFive Amos squared = 25 Amos4. Unusable otter square of the Keranos and the area in between
Four rows of One Amah = 4 Amos squared = 16 AmosFour rows of One Amah = 4 Amos squared = 16 Amos5. Usable area of the top of the Altar for korbanos less row of 4 Keranos (corner)???? ????

What is the ratio of usable area of Rabbi Yehuda to the usable area of Rabbi Yossi?

Bonus Question: Explain why the height of the curtains are so high?

_____________________________________________________________________________

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