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← Area of a Parallelogram
Rung 2 of 4 · The method

Actually Working One Out

Two numbers, one multiplication — exactly like a rectangle. The only catch is grabbing the right height.

PractiseHit “new parallelogram”, work out the area, then check yourself.
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Every parallelogram area question is the same two moves: find the base and the perpendicular height, then multiply. That's it.

The Two Moves

One — read off the base and the perpendicular height. The base is any one side; the height is the distance straight across to the opposite side, measured at a right angle. In a question it's usually the dashed line, often with a little right-angle square on it.

Two — multiply. Area = base × height. Write it, drop the numbers in, multiply.

A Worked One

A parallelogram with a base of 8 cm and a perpendicular height of 5 cm: 8 × 5 = 40, so the area is 40 cm². Notice we never touched the slanted sides — they don't come into it.

Say it plainly: base × perpendicular height. Same maths as a rectangle; just make sure the height goes straight up, not along the lean.

Decimals Are No Different

If the height is 4.5 m and the base is 6 m, the method doesn't change: 6 × 4.5 = 27 m². Multiply carefully and keep the "square" on the units.

The one trap: the slanted side is not the height. It's longer than the upright height, so using it always gives an answer that's too big. If a diagram hands you a slant length, ignore it — find the perpendicular height.
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Us, Thinking Out Loud

Could you teach me the two moves without looking?

How would you check, on a diagram, that you'd grabbed the perpendicular height and not the slant?