EDEXCEL GCSE FOUNDATION MATHS - What is the Area of Rectangles and Triangles

Edexcel GCSE Foundation Maths: Area of Rectangles and Triangles

What is Area?

Area is the amount of space a two-dimensional shape covers. It's measured in square units, like square centimetres (cm²) or square metres (m²).

Area of a Rectangle

• Formula: Area = Length × Width
• Example: A rectangle with a length of 5cm and a width of 3cm has an area of 5cm × 3cm = 15cm².

Area of a Triangle

• Formula: Area = (1/2) × Base × Height
• Important: The height of a triangle is the perpendicular distance from the base to the opposite vertex.
• Example: A triangle with a base of 6cm and a height of 4cm has an area of (1/2) × 6cm × 4cm = 12cm².

Worked Examples

1. Finding the Area of a Rectangle

• A rectangular garden is 10m long and 6m wide. What is its area?
  • Solution: Area = Length × Width = 10m × 6m = 60m²

2. Finding the Area of a Triangle

• A triangular sail has a base of 8m and a height of 5m. What is its area?
  • Solution: Area = (1/2) × Base × Height = (1/2) × 8m × 5m = 20m²

Practice Questions

1. Calculate the area of a rectangle with a length of 7cm and a width of 4cm.
2. Find the area of a triangle with a base of 10cm and a height of 6cm.
3. A square has sides of 5m. What is its area? (Hint: A square is a special type of rectangle!)

Key Points

• The area of a shape is measured in square units.
• The area of a rectangle is calculated by multiplying its length and width.
• The area of a triangle is calculated by multiplying half its base and height.

Extension

• Compound Shapes: Some shapes are made up of multiple rectangles and triangles. To find their area, you can divide them into simpler shapes, calculate the area of each, and then add them together.
• Units: Be careful to use the correct units when calculating area. For example, if the length and width are in metres, the area will be in square metres (m²).