Difference Between Area vs Perimeter
A lot of times, some people wish they did not have to encounter mathematics in school, which is not possible especially in the earlier stages of schooling. Life itself involves numbers, so there is no avoiding it.
In this article, we will discuss the difference between area and perimeter and how they compare to each other based on their definitions, measurement, usage, and so on. We will also throw in a comprehensive comparison table that highlights the variation between these two terms.
Definition of Area
Area is defined as the total expanse occupied by a closed figure. You know how they say there is no vacuum in nature? Well, that is somewhat the definition of area. A closed figure in this case refers to a two-dimensional flat object. Some examples include a circle, square, pentagon, triangle, rectangle, and so on.
These shapes are measured in square units (sq), and the formula for finding the area of a particular object depends on the shape. For instance, the area of a circle is , where r stands for the radius of the circle. The area of a triangle is found by multiplying the base by the height and dividing it by two. That is
.
The area of a square is , which is equal to l2. Since the four sides of the square are the same in measurement, it is multiplied in two places to find the area of a square. The area of a rectangle is A =
X w, which is length times width. In a rectangle, the two opposite sides are the same with one usually longer than the other. The formula for the area of a shape varies with the shape being considered.
Definition of Perimeter
A perimeter is defined as the distance around a closed figure or just the length of the outline of the figure. The figure in question may be more than one dimensional, but the focus is on one dimension. A simple way of explaining this concept is the fence around a house. When you put up that fence, it acts as a boundary to keep people away or within. The measure of the fence around the house is what is referred to as the perimeter.
In mathematics, some examples of one-dimensional shapes for which you can find their perimeter include rectangle, circle, triangle, square, rhombus, trapezium, kite, and so on. If you compare area vs perimeter, you will realize that the latter does not require much of a formula, unlike the former. Basically, all that is expected in finding the perimeter of a shape is summing up the lengths of the sides.
The perimeter of a square is the distance around the square, which can be represented as 4s, where s = the length of one side of the figure. For a triangular shape, the formula is a + b + c, where a, b, and c, are the lengths of the sides of the figure.
Main Differences Between Area vs Perimeter
In this section, we will compare the perimeter vs area in a table. This will further simplify the definitions and the applications of these concepts in mathematics. We will also compare different figures, showing the formulas for finding their areas and perimeter in each case.
| Basis of Comparison | Area | Perimeter |
| Definition | The total space occupied by a closed figure | The length of the outline of the figure |
| Instance | Covering the floor of a room with a rug | Putting a fence around a garden |
| How it is measured | Measure two dimensions in square units | Measure one dimension in linear units |
| Square | S X S = S2 | S + S + S + S = 4S |
| Rhombus | Product of diagonal divided by 2 | Product of 4 and l |
Difference Between Area and Perimeter: Conclusion
It is obvious that these two terms mean different things and are used in different ways. Perimeter vs area shows that the former is concerned with the distance around a figure, while the latter is concerned with the space occupied by the figure. One thing both concepts have in common is that their formulas differ with the shape.
