Area of Triangles and Quadrilaterals

Introduction

In geometry, the area of a 2D shape refers to the amount of space it occupies. The area of triangles and quadrilaterals can be calculated using specific formulas based on their respective shapes.

Area of Triangles

The formula to calculate the area of a triangle is:

Area = 1/2 * base * height

Where the base is the length of the triangle's bottom side, and the height is the perpendicular distance from the base to the opposite vertex.

Example

Calculate the area of a triangle with a base of 6 units and a height of 4 units.

Area = 1/2 * 6 * 4 = 12 square units

Area of Quadrilaterals

The formula for finding the area of a quadrilateral depends on its shape. For rectangles and squares, the formula is:

Area = length * width

For other quadrilaterals, such as parallelograms or trapezoids, the formula is:

Area = 1/2 * (sum of parallel sides) * height

Where the height is the perpendicular distance between the two parallel sides.

Example

Calculate the area of a rectangle with a length of 8 units and a width of 5 units.

Area = 8 * 5 = 40 square units

Study Tips

• Memorize the formula for calculating the area of triangles and quadrilaterals.
• Practice identifying the base, height, length, and width of different shapes.
• Solve a variety of problems involving the area of triangles and quadrilaterals to strengthen your understanding.