Area of Basic Geometric Figures

The area of a figure measures the surface of the figure. The unit of measure for area cannot
be a linear unit. To measure area we use square units such as:

1 yard

The Square Inch The Square Foot The Square Yard

1 inch 1 foot
1 yard 1 inch
1 foot

The Square Mile The Square Meter The Square Centimeter

1 cm
1 meter 1 cm
1 mile

1 meter

1 mile

The abbreviations that are used in mathematics are:

square inch: in² square yard: yd² square foot: ft² square

meter: m² square mile: mi² square centimeter: cm²

AREA FORMULAS: Memorize these four formulas.

A. RECTANGLE

It is easy to understand the formula for the 3 inches area of a

rectangle. Find the area of the
4 inches rectangle
shown here.

4 inches

This simply means: "how many square inches cover the surface of this rectangle?" We can draw
lines at each inch along a width a length. We can then count the little squares that are formed.
(What is the size of each little square?)

The area is the number of these square inches.

There are 12 squares. Each square is a square inch. The area is 12 square inches. We will
write 12 in².(NOTICE this does NOT mean 12 × 12!) It is read 12 square inches; there are 12 of
these little squares.

How could we have found 12 in² without having to

draw the squares?
3 inches
4 squares on each row × 3 rows = 12 squares.

To find the area of the rectangle, we multiply the

4 inches length by the width.
Area = 12 in²

Area of a Rectangle:
AREA = LENGTH × WIDTH or A = LW

EXAMPLE: Find the area of the rectangle shown.

Area = length × width

3 1
Area = 8 ft × 6 ft 1
4 2 6 ft.
2

35 13
= ft × ft
4 2 3
8 ft.
455 2
 = ft
8 4

2
7
= 56 ft
8

REMEMBER, area doesn't tell the length of a line segment; it tells how many square units
cover this flat surface. The area is measured in square units.

B. SQUARE

REMEMBER a square is a special rectangle. We can use AREA = LENGTH × WIDTH. Since
the length and width are the same, we call each one a side.

Area of a Square: Side

(Width)
AREA = SIDE × SIDE
or AREA = (SIDE)² or
A = s² Side
(Length)

The area of a square which is 0.7 cm on each side is

AREA = SIDE × SIDE or AREA = (side)²

= 0.7cm × 0.7cm = (0.7 cm)²

= 0.49 cm² = 0.49 cm²

Area = 0.49 cm²

C. TRIANGLE

The area of a triangle is found by multiplying

1
× base × height
2
EXPLANATION: If we cut this parallelogram along the dotted line, and place the small triangle at
the other end, we will form a rectangle.
The length × width of the rectangle is the base × height.

height

height
base
base

The area of the parallelogram is base × height.

A=b⋅h

Now if we draw and cut out two triangles that are exactly the same size, we can flip one over and place
them to form a parallelogram.
The area of one triangle is half the area of the parallelogram.

1
AREA = × base × height 2

or A= ×b×h

EXAMPLE: Find the area of the triangle shown.

1
AREA = × 12 cm × 9 cm 2 height =
9 cm
= 54 cm²
base = 12 cm

Area = 54 cm²
D. CIRCLE

Imagine a pie cut into many little wedges. If we take the wedges above AB and place them like this

If we take the wedges below AB and place them like this

They can be placed together like this

The smaller the wedges, the straighter the edges would become.

Imagine now a parallelogram has been formed from

these very small wedges placed together. (There are so r
many wedges that the sides seem to be straight.)
π∗ r

height = radius

1
base = circumference
The base is ½ × the circumference of the original 2
circle. The height is the radius of the circle.

The formula area = base × height

 becomes area = (½ × circumference) × radius

REMEMBER the circumference = 2 × π × radius; this means

1
Area = 1 × (2 × π × radius) × radius × 2 =1 and (1×π =π)
2 2
Regrouping, we get the formula for
Area of circle.

Area = π × radius × radius or Area = π × (radius)² or A = π r²

EXAMPLE: Find the area of a circle with a radius of 70
22 7
ft. Use π =
A = π r²

22 r = 70 ft
= × (70 ft)²
7
10
22 70 70
= × ft × ft
7 1 1
1
Area = 15,400 ft²

Composite Geometic Figures

To find the area of composite figures, draw lines to form the figures whose areas you know.
Find the area of each figure and add or subtract to get the area of the composite figure. It helps to
plan your strategy in writing before you begin.

EXAMPLE 1: Find the area of the rectangle with a triangular region removed.

Area of composite figure = 8 cm

Area of rectangle − area of triangle

Area = (length × width) – (½ × base × height)

10 cm

= 10 cm × 8 cm − ½ × 5 cm × 8 cm
= 80 cm² − 20 cm²
5 cm
Area of composite figure = 80 cm² − 20 cm² = 60 cm²

EXAMPLE 2: Find the area of the skating rink. Use π = 3.14

25 m

10 m
(Drawing is not to scale)

STRATEGY:

+ +

NOTICE:

+ is

The area of is

Area of circle + Area of rectangle π

× (radius)² + length × width

Circle: Rectangle:
We know the diameter = 10 m A = 10 × 25
so radius = ½ × 10 = 5 m = 250 m²
Area = 3.14 × (5)²
= 3.14 × 25
= 78.50 m²

Area of the composite figure is 78.50 m² (circle) + 250.00 m² (rectangle)

= 328.50 m² composite figure
APPLICATIONS:

To determine the amount of carpeting you'll need for a room that is 12 ft long and 9 ft wide,
you can find the area.

Area = length × width

= 12 ft × 9 ft
= 108 ft²

Carpeting is sold by the square yard. You can measure the room in yards.

Length = 12 ft = 4 yd
Width = 9 ft = 3 yd

Area = length × width

= 4 yd × 3 yd
= 12 yd²

Another way is to convert square feet to square yards using 1 yd² = 9 ft²

1 yd =
1 yd 3ft

1 yd 1 yd = 3 ft

1 square yard = 9 square feet

1yd 2
Now multiply by “1”, where 1 = 2

9ft
108 ft 2 1yd 2 2
× 2 = 12 yd
1 9ft

(We find how many groups of 9 ft² are in 108 ft². That is how many square yards there will be in 108
ft²).

PROBLEMS DIRECTIONS

1. Draw the figure and write in the given measures.

2. Write the area formula.

3. Replace the parts of the formula with the given measures and simplify.
4. The answer will be in square units!
__________________________________________________________________

1. Find the area of a rectangle that is 4.6 m long and 1.4 m wide.

2. Find the area of a square that is ½ meter on each side.

3. Find the area of a pizza that has a 12 inch diameter. Use π = 3.14.

4. Find the area of a triangle which has a base of 38 inches and a height of 14

inches. This instructional aid was prepared by the Tallahassee Community

College Learning Commons. ­

5. A swimming pool is 10 m by 8 m. It is surrounded by a walkway that is 3

m wide. Find the area of the walkway. (HINT: Find the area of the large
rectangle and subtract the area of the pool. What is the length of the large
rectangle? What is its width?)

10 m

≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈≈ ≈≈ ≈
3 m
8m

3m
6. Find the area of this composite figure. Use π = 3.14

6 ft
10 ft

ANSWER KEY:
1. 6.44 m²

2. ¼ m²

3. 113.04 in²

4. 266 in²

5. 224 − 80 = 144 m²

6. 60 − 14.13 = 45.87 ft²