Math Dictionary / Area

Area

Area measures the amount of flat space inside a two-dimensional shape.

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What it means

Area is counted in square units, such as square inches or square centimeters.

Also called: inside space

Examples

Rectangle area = length x width
A 5 by 3 rectangle has area 15 square units
Triangle area = 1/2 x base x height

Common mistake

Do not use perimeter units for area. Area uses square units.

Try one

Question: What is the area of a rectangle with length 8 and width 4?

Show answer

8 x 4 = 32 square units.

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