Perimeter and Area

Perimeter and area are two measurements we use to describe 2D shapes. Perimeter is the distance all the way around the outside of a shape. To find the perimeter, simply add up the lengths of all the sides. So a rectangle that is 5 cm long and 3 cm wide has a perimeter of 5 + 3 + 5 + 3 = 16 cm. Area is different — it measures the space inside a shape. We measure area in square units, like cm² or m². For a rectangle, we multiply the length by the width: 5 cm × 3 cm = 15 cm². For more irregular shapes, we can count the squares on a grid. Understanding perimeter and area is useful in real life — whether you’re working out how much fencing you need for a garden (perimeter) or how much carpet to buy for a room (area)!