What is Area?

Part of Area of Rectangles & Triangles · Section 1 of 8

IntroductionUnit: Geometry & MeasuresGCSE

This introduction covers What is Area? within Area of Rectangles & Triangles for GCSE Mathematics. Revise Area of Rectangles & Triangles in Geometry & Measures for GCSE Mathematics with 12 exam-style questions and 6 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 1 of 8 in this topic. Use this introduction to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.

What is Area?

Area measures how much SPACE a shape covers - like how many square tiles would fit inside it. If you're painting a wall or laying carpet, you need to know the area! We measure area in SQUARE units (cm², m², etc.)

Visual: Area Formulas

Diagram showing area formulas for 5 shapes: Rectangle (length × width), Triangle (½ × base × height), Parallelogram (base × perpendicular height), Trapezium (½(a+b) × height), Circle (πr²). Each shape shows labelled dimensions.

Remember: Height must be PERPENDICULAR (at 90°) to the base

Practice questions for Area of Rectangles & Triangles

Which formula gives the area of a rectangle with length l and width w?

  • A. 2(l + w)
  • B. l + w
  • C. l × w
  • D. (1/2) × l × w
1 markfoundation

Explain why the area formula for a triangle uses the perpendicular height rather than the slant height.

2 markshigher

Quick recall flashcards

Triangle Area
Area = ½ × base × perpendicular height (A = ½bh)
Rectangle Area
Area = length × width (A = l × w)

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The Key Formulas

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