What is the formula for the area of a rectangle?

What is the formula for the area of a rectangle?

• A. A = w + l
• B. A = l + w
• C. A = lw
• D. A = l^2 w^2

Answer: (C)

To find the area of a rectangle, you multiply its length by its width. The formula is A = l × w, often written as A = lw. This works because area counts how many unit squares fit inside the shape, which happens by laying out length units in one direction and width units in the perpendicular direction; multiplying gives the total number of unit squares. For example, a rectangle 5 units long and 3 units wide has area 15 square units. If the sides are in centimeters, the area is in square centimeters. Adding the sides, like l + w, isn’t area but a linear measure, and squaring both dimensions would give a value that doesn’t reflect the actual area of the rectangle.

To find the area of a rectangle, you multiply its length by its width. The formula is A = l × w, often written as A = lw. This works because area counts how many unit squares fit inside the shape, which happens by laying out length units in one direction and width units in the perpendicular direction; multiplying gives the total number of unit squares. For example, a rectangle 5 units long and 3 units wide has area 15 square units. If the sides are in centimeters, the area is in square centimeters. Adding the sides, like l + w, isn’t area but a linear measure, and squaring both dimensions would give a value that doesn’t reflect the actual area of the rectangle.