What Is the Difference Between Area and Perimeter?

Understanding the difference between area and perimeter is a key math skill for students in elementary school. Whether you’re measuring how much space a rug covers or how far it is to walk around a yard, both area and perimeter play a role.

At Workybooks, we make learning these concepts easier through step-by-step lessons and helpful worksheets. Let’s begin!

What is Area?

Area is the space inside a shape. It tells us how much surface a shape covers. Think of area as the number of square tiles that can fit inside a shape without overlapping or leaving gaps.

• Area is measured in square units (like cm², in²).
• For example, if a square has sides of 3 cm, the area is:
  Area = side × side = 3 cm × 3 cm = 9 cm²

Try finding different areas using this worksheet: What’s The Area?

What is Perimeter?

Perimeter is the distance around a shape. If you walk along the edge of your school playground, you’re measuring the perimeter.

To find the perimeter, you add up the lengths of all the sides of a shape.

Example:

A rectangle with sides of 5 units and 2 units has:

Perimeter = 5 + 2 + 5 + 2 = 14 units

Check out our worksheet on Perimeter of Rectangle to practice more.

Key Differences Between Area and Perimeter

Basis of Difference	Area	Perimeter
Meaning	Measures the space inside a shape	Measures the distance around a shape
Units of Measurement	Expressed in square units (e.g., cm², m²)	Expressed in linear units (e.g., cm, m)
Function	Shows how much surface is covered	Shows how long the boundary of a shape is
Usage Example	Used in tiling, painting, covering surfaces	Used in fencing, framing, or outlining
Formula for Rectangle	Area = length × breadth	Perimeter = 2 × (length + breadth)
Dimensional Impact	Affects the space inside	Affects only the outer edge or border
Possibility of Zero Value	Cannot be zero if shape has space	Can be zero in some cases (e.g., point or line)
Real-Life Application	Useful in designing floors, walls, or land	Useful in building walls, fences, or boundaries
Relationship in Same Shape	Shapes can have the same area	But may have different perimeters
Dependency	Depends on two dimensions (e.g., length × width)	Depends on total length of all sides

Formulas for Area and Perimeter

Square

• Area = side × side
• Perimeter = 4 × side

Rectangle

• Area = length × width
• Perimeter = 2 × (length + width)

Triangle

• Area = ½ × base × height
• Perimeter = sum of all three sides

Circle (Advanced)

• Area = π × radius²
• Perimeter (Circumference) = 2 × π × radius

Learn more about tiling rectangles with our Rectangles and Area worksheet.

Practical Word Problems with Solutions

Problem 1:

Amy has a square garden with sides of 4 meters.

• Find the area and perimeter.

Area = 4 × 4 = 16 m²
Perimeter = 4 × 4 = 16 m

Problem 2:

A rectangle has a length of 7 units and a width of 3 units.

• What is the area and perimeter?

Area = 7 × 3 = 21 square units
Perimeter = 2 × (7 + 3) = 20 units

Try more questions using our Finding the Area and Perimeter worksheet.

Problem 3:

Lily wants to place a ribbon around a triangle with sides 5 cm, 6 cm, and 4 cm.

• What is the perimeter of the triangle?

Perimeter = 5 + 6 + 4 = 15 cm

Problem 4:

The base of a triangle is 8 units, and the height is 5 units.

• What is the area?

Area = ½ × 8 × 5 = 20 square units

Explore more complex figures with Perimeter of Polygons.

Conclusion

Area and perimeter are important math skills that are easy to understand with the right examples and tools. Area tells us how much space is inside a shape, while perimeter tells us how long it is around the shape.

At Workybooks, we have lots of fun and easy-to-understand resources to help you learn. Keep practicing with different shapes, and you’ll get better and more confident each day!