Rectangle - Geometry for Kids - What is a rectangle? How do we know the perimeter or the area of a rectangle?

Rectangles

Rectangle

A rectangle is a flat shape, in one plane, defined by four points at the four corners. A rectangle has two sides of equal length opposite each other, and two other sides of equal length opposite each other, and four corners, all right angles (90 degree angles). A square is a special kind of rectangle. In a rectangle, the two long sides are always parallel line segments, and the two short sides are always parallel line segments.

To figure out the area of a rectangle, you multiply the length by the width. To figure out the perimeter of the rectangle, you can add the lengths of all the sides together. So if your rectangle is 10 centimeters long and 5 centimeters wide, the area of the rectangle is 50 square centimeters, and the perimeter of the rectangle is 30 centimeters.

If you move a rectangle through space, you get a solid form called a rectangular prism. If you divide a rectangle in half diagonally from corner to corner, you get two right triangles.

Squares
Circles
Triangles
Main Geometry page


To find out more about geometry, check out these books from Amazon.com or from your library:

Physics
Chemistry
Biology
Science for Kids home page
History for Kids home page


$.98/ or LOG IN
LOG OUT
KIDIPEDE ON FOOD:

ORIGINS OF CORN
DIGESTION
SWEET POTATOES
COFFEE
FOOD IN AFRICA
HISTORY AND SCIENCE NEWS OF THE DAY
MORE AWARDS
8 GREAT BUILDINGS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD:

DURGA TEMPLE
AL-HAKIM MOSQUE
CHARTRES CATHEDRAL
FORBIDDEN CITY
THE PYRAMIDS
THE PARTHENON
THE PANTHEON
KAIROUAN MOSQUE