Area of a Rectangle

To find the area of a rectangle, simply divide it into row and columns.  We can call how high it is, the height.  How wide it is can be called the width.  When we divide it into rows and columns to make squares, the area is the number of squares there are.  

Area of a Triangle.

To find the area of a triangle, we can take exactly half of a rectangle with the same height and width.  We can call how high it is, the height.  How wide it is can be called the base, or the width of the bottom.  

Area of a Parallelogram

To find the area of a parallelogram, we can think of it like a rectangle that’s been pushed sideways. It still has the same height and the same base (or width along the bottom). The slanted side doesn’t change the area.

Area of a Trapezoid

To find the area of a trapezoid, we look at the two sides that are flat on the top and bottom. These are called the bases. If we made the bases the same, this would be the same as a rectangle.  We find the average of the two bases by adding them together and dividing by two, then multiply this by the height.

 Area of a Box (Right Angle Shape)

Sometimes a shape looks like a big rectangle, but it’s missing a piece — like a corner that’s been cut out in the shape of a smaller rectangle. To find the area of this kind of shape, we use a subtracting strategy.

First, find the area of the whole big rectangle, then subtract the small area from the big one.