A triangle is three-sided shape with a height that’s perpendicular to its base. There are different types of triangle, such as scalene, isosceles, and equilateral. The formulas for finding the area and the perimeter of a triangle are the same for all its types.
Here’s an illustration of a showing the formulas for finding the area and perimeter of a triangle.
Want to learn how to find the perimeter of a triangle?
Related Reading: Perimeter of a Triangle – Formula & Examples
How to Find the Area of a Triangle
The area of a triangle is half of its base multiplied by its height. Note that area is always expressed in square unit (e.g. in2, m2, or cm2). Find the area of a triangle using the formula:
A = 1/2 (bh)
where b = base of the triangle and h = height of the triangle
Example. Find the area when given the following measurements: b = 20 cm ; h =12 cm
A = 1/2 (bh)
Substitute the given measurements into the equation.
A = 1/2 [(20 cm) (12cm)] = 1/2 (240 cm2)
A = 120 cm2
Therefore, the area is 120cm2.
Example #1: Find the area of a triangle with the following measurements: b = 12 cm; h = 10 cm.
Solution for Example #1:
Substitute the given measurements into the formula for area, A = 1/2 (bh). The base (b) is 12 cm and the height (h) is 10 cm.
A = 1/2 [(12 cm) (10 cm)] = 1/2 (120 cm2)
A = 60 cm2
Therefore, the area is 60 cm2.
Example #2: Find the area of a triangle with the following measurements: b = 0.7 km; h = 0.9 km.
Solution for Example #2:
Substitute the given measurements into the formula for area, A = 1/2 (bh).
The base (b) is 0.7 km and the height (h) is 0.9 km.
A = 1/2 [(0.7 km) (0.9 km)] = 1/2 (0.63 km2)
A = 0.315 km2
Therefore, the area is 0.315 km2.
Thank you for reading. We hope it’s effective! Always feel free to revisit this page if you ever have any questions about the area of a triangle.
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