Skill: Find area of rectangles

Area tells how much flat space a rectangle covers. Imagine covering the rectangle completely with equal-sized squares. The number of squares needed is the area.

Use the formula:

$$A=l\times w$$

where $l$ is the length and $w$ is the width.

Example: Find the area of a rectangle that is $8$ meters long and $3$ meters wide.

1. Identify the dimensions:

$$l=8\text{ m},\qquad w=3\text{ m}$$

2. Multiply the length by the width:

$$A=8\times3=24$$

3. Write the answer in square units:

$$\boxed{24\text{ square meters}}$$

or $\boxed{24\text{ m}^2}$.

This makes sense because the rectangle can be arranged as $8$ rows of $3$ square-meter tiles, for a total of $(24)$ tiles. Area measures the space inside the rectangle. Perimeter is different: it measures the distance around the rectangle.