What is the formula for the area of a square?

What is the formula for the area of a square?

• A. A = s²
• B. A = 4s
• C. A = s^3
• D. A = 2s

Answer: (A)

Area is about counting how much space is inside a shape. For a square, the height and the width are the same value, the side length s. So to cover the square with unit squares, you multiply the side by itself: s times s equals s squared. That gives the amount of space inside the square, so the area is s^2. The other expressions don’t describe area for a square. 4s would add up all four sides, which is the perimeter. s^3 would describe volume of a cube with side s, not area. 2s isn’t a standard way to express area for a square.

Area is about counting how much space is inside a shape. For a square, the height and the width are the same value, the side length s. So to cover the square with unit squares, you multiply the side by itself: s times s equals s squared. That gives the amount of space inside the square, so the area is s^2.

The other expressions don’t describe area for a square. 4s would add up all four sides, which is the perimeter. s^3 would describe volume of a cube with side s, not area. 2s isn’t a standard way to express area for a square.