Area and perimeter
Area
The area is the amount of surface a 2D shape covers. It is measured in square units, such as cm² or m².
How to find the area
• For a rectangle: area = length × width. • For a shape made from two rectangles: work out each rectangle's area, then add them together.
Worked examples
A rectangle
- The rectangle is 8 m long and 4 m wide.
- Area = length × width = 8 × 4.
Answer: Area = 32 m²
A shape made of two rectangles
- One rectangle is 5 m × 5 m = 25 m².
- The other is 4 m × 3 m = 12 m².
- Add them: 25 + 12.
Answer: Total area = 37 m²
Where you see this in real life
- Working out how much carpet is needed to cover a floor.
- Finding the price of a carpet sold per square metre.
- Comparing how much space two different tables take up.
Key words
- Area
- The amount of surface a 2D shape covers.
- Square units
- Units for area, such as cm² or m².
- Perimeter
- The distance around the edge of a shape (a length).