Most of us use formulas to determine the area of common polygons, such as triangles and rectangles. The formula for the area of a rectangle is A = l • w, where l represents the length of the rectangle and w represents the width.
The formula, for the area of a triangle is where b represents the length of the base of the triangle and h represents the height of the triangle. (Height is the length of the segment from a vertex perpendicular to the opposite side.)
Problem B6
Explain how the formulas below relate to using the geoboard to find an area:
a.
Rectangle: A = l • w
b.
Right triangle: A =
Think about the rectangle method you used on the geoboard to find the area of a right triangle. Close Tip
where b represents the length of the base of the triangle and h represents the height of the triangle. (Height is the length of the segment from a vertex perpendicular to the opposite side.) 
