Perimeter and area - WJECArea using formulas for square and rectangle

Knowing how to find the perimeter or area of a shape can be useful in everyday life - from wrapping a present to buying a carpet. Use it in calculations to find the amount of materials needed or cost.

Part ofMaths Numeracy (WJEC)Geometry and Measure

Area using formulas for square and rectangle

For some shapes it may be easier to calculate their area using an appropriate .

Area of a square = length2

A square with one side labelled ‘length’

This means length × length.

Given the area, we can find the length of a square by calculating the . The symbol for square root is \(\sqrt{}\)

Question

The area of a square is 36 m2. How long is each side?

Area of a rectangle = length × width

A rectangle with one side labelled ‘width’ and another labelled ‘length’

Given the area, we can divide by the length to calculate the width.

Question

A rectangular room has length 5 m and width 6 m. One carpet square measuring 1 m by 1 m costs £15. How much would it cost to carpet the room?