Area of Parallelogram

Area of a parallelogram is a region covered by a parallelogram in a two-dimensional plane.

In Geometry, a parallelogram is a two-dimensional figure with four sides. It is a special case of
the quadrilateral.
The sum of the interior angles in a quadrilateral is 360 degrees. A parallelogram has two pairs
of parallel sides with equal measures. Since it is a two-dimensional figure, it has an area and
perimeter. In this article, let us discuss the area of a parallelogram with its formula, derivations,
and more solved problems in detail.

What is the Area of Parallelogram?

The area of a parallelogram is the region bounded by the parallelogram in a given two-
dimension space. To recall, a parallelogram is a special type of quadrilateral which has four
sides and the pair of opposite sides are parallel. In a parallelogram, the opposite sides are of
equal length and opposite angles are of equal measures. Since the rectangle and the
parallelogram have similar properties, the area of the rectangle is equal to the area of a
parallelogram

Area of Parallelogram Formula

To find the area of the parallelogram, multiply the base of the perpendicular by its height. It
should be noted that the base and the height of the parallelogram are perpendicular to each
other, whereas the lateral side of the parallelogram is not perpendicular to the base. Thus, a
dotted line is drawn to represent the height.
Therefore,

Area = b × h Square units

Where “b” is the base and “h” is the height of the parallelogram.

How to Calculate the Area of Parallelogram?

The parallelogram area can be calculated, using its base and height. Apart from it, the area of a
parallelogram can also be evaluated, if its two diagonals are known along with any of their
intersecting angles, or if the length of the parallel sides is known, along with any of the angles
between the sides.

Parallelogram Area Using Sides

Suppose a and b are the set of parallel sides of a parallelogram and h is the height, then based
on the length of sides and height of it, the formula for its area is given by:
Area = Base × Height
A = b × h [sq.unit]
Example: If the base of a parallelogram is equal to 5 cm and the height is 3 cm, then find its
area.
Solution: Given, length of base=5 cm and height = 3 cm
As per the formula, Area = 5 × 3 = 15 sq.cm
Parallelogram Area Without Height
If the height of the parallelogram is unknown to us, then we can use trigonometry concept here
to find its area.
Area = ab sin (x)
Where a and b are the length of parallel sides and x is the angle between the sides of the
parallelogram.
Example: The angle between any two sides of a parallelogram is 90 degrees. If the length of the
two parallel sides is 3 cm and 4 cm respectively, then find the area.
Solution: Let a = 3 cm and b=4 cm
x = 90 degrees
Area = ab sin (x)
A = 3 × 4 sin (90)
A = 12 sin 90
A = 12 × 1 = 12 sq.cm.
Note: If the angle between the sides of a parallelogram is 90 degrees, then it is a rectangle.
Parallelogram Area Using Diagonals
The area of any parallelogram can also be calculated using its diagonal lengths. As we know,
there are two diagonals for a parallelogram, which intersects each other. Suppose, the
diagonals intersect each other at an angle y, then the area of the parallelogram is given by:
Area = ½ × d1 × d2 sin (y)
Check the table below to get summarized formulas of an area of a parallelogram.

All Formulas to Calculate Area of a Parallelogram

Using Base and Height A=b×h

Using Trigonometry A = ab sin (x)

Using Diagonals A = ½ × d1 × d2 sin (y)

Where,
  b = base of the parallelogram (AB)
 h = height of the parallelogram
 a = side of the parallelogram (AD)
 x = any angle between the sides of the parallelogram (∠DAB or ∠ADC)
 d1 = diagonal of the parallelogram (p)
 d2 = diagonal of the parallelogram (q)
 y = any angle between at the intersection point of the diagonals (∠DOA or ∠DOC)
Note: In the above figure,

 DC = AB = b
 AD = BC = a
 ∠DAB = ∠DCB
 ∠ADC = ∠ABC
 O is the intersecting point of the diagonals
 ∠DOA = ∠COB
 ∠DOC = ∠AOB
Question and Solution
Question 1: Find the area of the parallelogram with the base of 4 cm and height of 5 cm.
Solution:
Given:
Base, b = 4 cm
h = 5 cm
We know that,
Area of Parallelogram = b×h Square units
= 4 × 5 = 20 sq.cm
Therefore, the area of a parallelogram = 20 cm^2
Word Problem
Question: The area of a parallelogram is 500 sq.cm. Its height is twice its base. Find the height
and base.
Solution:
Given, area = 500 sq.cm.
Height = Twice of base
h = 2b
By the formula, we know,
Area = b x h
500 = b x 2b
2b2 = 500
b2 = 250
b = 15.8 cm
Hence, height = 2 x b = 31.6 cm