Which expression represents the area of a square?

Which expression represents the area of a square?

• A. A = 2s
• B. P = 4s
• C. A = s^2
• D. A = s

Answer: (C)

Area comes from multiplying the two dimensions. For a square, the side length is the same in both directions, so the area is side × side, or s × s = s^2. That’s why s^2 is the expression for the area. The other forms aren’t area: 2s is a length, not an area; 4s represents the perimeter (the distance around the square); and s is just a single length, not a measure of area (which uses square units).

Area comes from multiplying the two dimensions. For a square, the side length is the same in both directions, so the area is side × side, or s × s = s^2. That’s why s^2 is the expression for the area.

The other forms aren’t area: 2s is a length, not an area; 4s represents the perimeter (the distance around the square); and s is just a single length, not a measure of area (which uses square units).