Area of Triangles

The following table gives the formulas for the area of triangles given some properties
about the triangles. Scroll down the page if you need more explanations about the
formulas, how to use them as well as worksheets.

If we are given the base of the triangle and the perpendicular height then we can
use the formula.
1
A= 2bh

Area of a triangle is equal to half of the product of its base and height.
The height of a triangle is the perpendicular distance from a vertex to the base of the
triangle.

Any of the 3 sides of a triangle can be used as a base. It all depends on where the
height is drawn.

If you are given the sides of an isosceles or equilateral triangle, you can use
the Pythagorean Theorem to find the height of the triangle and then use the above
formula to find the area.

Find the area of a triangle.

l=10ft h=7ft b=4ft Solution:

1
l A = 2 bh

1
h = 2 (7)(4)

1
=2 28

b = 14𝑓𝑡 2
How to use the Pythagorean Theorem to get the height of an isosceles triangle and then
calculate the area of the triangle

Solution:
1
20 20 a2 + b2 = c2 A = 2 bh
h 1
(12)2 + (b)2 = (20)2 = 2 (24)(16)

1
24 144 + b2 = 400 =2 (384)

√b2 =√ 256 A = 192 units 2

b = 16

Given length of three sides

If we are given three sides of a triangle, we can use Heron’s formula:

where a, b, and care the lengths of the sides and s is half the perimeter.

Use Heron's Formula to determine the area of a triangle while only knowing the
lengths of the sides
Example:
9 11 Solutions:
𝑎+𝑏+𝑐
𝑠= A= √𝑠(𝑠 − 𝑎)(𝑠 − 𝑏)(𝑠 − 𝑐)
2
𝑠 = 18 A=√𝑠(𝑠 − 𝑎)(𝑠 − 𝑏)(𝑠 − 𝑐)

16 = √18(18 − 9)(18 − 11)(18 − 16)

= √18(9)(7)(2)

= √18(126)

= 𝟏𝟖√7

Given Side Angle Side

If we are given the lengths of two sides of a triangle and the size of angle between
them we can use the formula:

The area of a triangle is equal to half the product of two sides times the sine of the
included angle.

1
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 = 𝑏𝑐 sin 𝐶
2

By considering sin A and sin B in a similar way, we obtain

1 1
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 = 𝑏𝑐 sin 𝐴 𝑜𝑟 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 = 𝑎𝑐 sin 𝐵
2 2

We may use any of the above formulas depending on which two sides and angle are given.

Remember that the given angle must be between the two given sides.

Example:

Find the area of triangle PQR if p = 6.5 cm, r = 4.3 cm and Ð Q = 39˚. Give your answer
correct to 2 decimal places.

Solution:
Area of triangle PQR

1
= 𝑝𝑟 sin 𝑄
2
1
= 𝑥 6.5 𝑥 4.3 𝑥 sin 39˚
2

= 8.97 𝑐𝑚2

Example:

How to find the area of an oblique triangle when given two sides and an angle?

Given: Solution:
1
A= 100˚ 𝐴 = 2 ( 21)(14)(100˚)
b = 14cm 𝐴 = 144.77 𝑐𝑚2
c = 21cm
A

B C

Given Equilateral Triangle

To find the area of an equilateral triangle, we can use the Pythagorean Theorem to get
the height of the triangle and then use formula

1
𝐴= 𝑏ℎ
2
or we can use the following formula:

The formula for the area of an equilateral triangle (with all sides congruent) is equal to
𝑠 2 √3
𝐴=
4

where s is the length of any side of the triangle.

Given three vertices on the coordinate plane

When we are given three vertices of a triangle on the coordinate plane, we should first
check whether the three vertices form a right triangle. If it is a right triangle then we can
use the formula of half the product of its base and height to calculate the area.

If it not a right triangle then we can either use Heron's formula or the determinant of a
matrix.

To use Heron's formula, we need to first get the length of each side by using the
distance formula. Then plug the values into the Heron's formula

where a, b, and c are the lengths of the sides and s is half the perimeter.

If you are familiar with matrices and determinants, then we can use the determinant of a
matrix to get the area of the triangle.

The area of a triangle is equal to x1

Where (x1, y1), (x2, y2), (x3, y3) are the coordinates of the three vertices.

The plus/minus sign is meant to take whichever sign is needed to make the answer positive. If
the answer is zero, then the three points are collinear (forms a straight line).

Using the determinant of a matrix we can find the area of a triangle whose coordinates
are on the coordinate plane.
Example:
Black-necked stilts are birds that live throughout Florida and surrounding areas but breed mostly
in the triangular region shown on the map. Estimate the area of this region. The coordinates
given are measured in miles.
How to find the area of a triangle with the determinant of a matrix?

Given Two Vectors from One Vertex

If we are given the three vertices of a triangle in space, we can use cross products to
find the area of the triangle.

If a triangle is specified by vectors u and v originating at one vertex, then the area is half
the magnitude of their cross product.

How to compute the area of a triangle given its three vertices in space, using cross
products?
Example:
A triangle in R3 has vertices at points (1, 2, 3), (5, 5, 5) and (7, 8, 9). What is the area?