A rectangle is a two-dimensional geometric shape. It has four straight sides, four right angles (90-degree angles), and opposite sides that are equal in length. A rectangle is a special type of parallelogram with all right angles.
A rectangle can be define by its two dimensions:
- length
- width
These dimensions are denoted “l” for length and “w” for width.
In geometry, rectangles are used to calculate the area of a shape, the perimeter of a shape, and the diagonal length of a shape.
Real life Examples of Rectangle
- A sheet of paper,
- a computer screen,
- television screen
- Rooms in buildings and houses
Area of Rectangle Formula
The formula for the area of a rectangle is:
Area = Length × Width
Area of Rectangle
The area of a rectangle is the amount of space inside the rectangle. It is equal to the product of its length and width.
Area of Rectangle = Length × Width
The “Length” refers to the length of the rectangle and “Width” refers to the width of the rectangle.
The units for the length and width of the rectangle should be the same. The units for the area will be the square of the units for the length and width.
For example, if the length of a rectangle is measured in meters and the width is measured in meters, then the area of the rectangle will be expressed in square meters.
How to Calculate the Area of a Rectangle
To calculate the area of a rectangle, you need to know the length and width of the rectangle. Once you have these values, follow these steps:
- Write down the formula for the area of a rectangle:
Area = Length × Width
- Measure the length of the rectangle in the same units as the width.
- Measure the width of the rectangle in the same units as the length.
- Multiply the length and the width together. This will give you the area of the rectangle in square units.
Area of rectangle Solved Examples
Example 1: Find the area of a rectangle with a length of 8 meters and a width of 4 meters.
Solution:
Area = Length × Width
= 8 meters × 4 meters
Area = 32 square meters
Therefore, the area of the rectangle is 32 square meters.
Example 2: A rectangular room has a length of 12 feet and a width of 10 feet. What is the area of the room?
Solution:
Area = Length × Width
= 12 feet × 10 feet
Area = 120 square feet
Therefore, the area of the rectangular room is 120 square feet.
Example 3: A rectangle has a diagonal length of 15 meters and a width of 6 meters. What is the area of the rectangle?
Solution:
Area = (Diagonal × Side Length) / 2
= (15 meters × 6 meters) / 2
Area = 45 square meters
Therefore, the area of the rectangle is 45 square meters.
Example 4:A rectangular field has a perimeter of 80 meters and a length of 18 meters. What is the width of the field, and what is its area?
Solution:
Let’s use the formula for the perimeter of a rectangle: Perimeter = 2(L + W), where L is the length and W is the width.
We can plug in the values given in the problem: 80 = 2(18 + W), and solve for W:
80 = 36 + 2W
44 = 2W
W = 22 meters
Now that we know the width is 22 meters, we can use the formula for the area of a rectangle:
Area = Length × Width
= 18 meters × 22 meters
Area = 396 square meters
Therefore, the width of the field is 22 meters, and the area of the field is 396 square meters.
Frequently Asked Questions on Area of Rectangle
Here are some frequently asked questions about the area of a rectangle:
- What is the area of a rectangle?
- The area of a rectangle is the amount of space inside the shape, and it can be calculated by multiplying the length and the width.
- What is the formula for the area of a rectangle?
- The formula for the area of a rectangle is: Area = Length × Width.
- Can you find the area of a rectangle with just one measurement?
- No, you need to know both the length and the width of a rectangle to calculate its area.
- How do you measure the length and width of a rectangle?
- The length of a rectangle is typically the longer side, and the width is the shorter side. You can measure them using a ruler or a tape measure.
- Can you use the diagonal to find the area of a rectangle?
- Yes, you can use the diagonal and one side length of a rectangle to find the area using the formula: Area = (Diagonal × Side Length) / 2.
- Is the area of a rectangle the same as the perimeter?
- No
- What unit is used to measure the area of a rectangle?
- The area of a rectangle is measured in square units, such as square meters, square feet, or square inches.
- What is the relationship between the length, width, and area of a rectangle?
- The area of a rectangle is directly proportional to both its length and width. If you double the length or the width, the area will also double.