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How to Calculate Area Using Length & Width Measurements

Area is the region enclosed by a two-dimensional shape. Calculating the area of objects using length and width is a simple mathematical task. You will often have to perform area calculations in the real world by determining the length and width values yourself. For example, the size of apartments and houses are often provided in square footage --- the area of the floor space.

Measurement device (ruler, tape measure, etc.)

Instructions

- 1
  Determine the rectangular region you would like to measure. If the region is not rectangular, divide it into multiple rectangular regions and measure each separately.
- 2
  Use a measurement device, such as a ruler or tape measure, to determine the length and width of a rectangular region.
- 3
  Write down all values measured. For multiple region calculations, draw a sketch to keep track of your progress.
- 4
  Multiply the length by the width of each rectangular region to find its area.
- 5
  Add the areas of all rectangles measured to find the total area of the region.
- 6
  State the final area in square units. For example, if your region has a length of 10 inches and a width of 5 inches, the total area is 50 square inches.

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