What Is Area, in Geometry?

Area is the space inside a two-dimensional shape

Area is how much two-dimensional space a shape takes up. In geometry, we're usually looking for a measurement when we're talking about area, and area is a two dimensional measurement, we always report it in $\text{[units]}^2$ ("units squared").

For example, the rectangle below has a $\text{width}$ of $10\text{in}$ and a $\text{height}$ of $5\text{in}$. To find the area, we multiply $\text{width}\times\text{height}$: $$10\text{in} \times 5\text{in} = 50\text{in}^2.$$

There are formulas you can use to find the areas of common shapes. Click here for triangles and quadrilaterals, and here for circular regions.