Area of a Parallelogram
(KS3, Year 7)
The area of a parallelogram is found using the formula:

area parallelogram formula In this formula, b is the length of the base of the parallelogram and h is the height of the parallelogram. The image below shows what we mean by the length of the base and the height:

parallelogram bh

How to Find the Area of a Parallelogram

Finding the area of a parallelogram is easy.

Question

What is the area of a parallelogram with a base 8 cm and a height of 3 cm, as shown below? parallelogram

Step-by-Step:

1

Start with the formula:
Area = bh
Don't forget: bh = b × h

2

Substitute the length of the base and the height into the formula. In our example, b = 8 and h = 3.
Area = 8 × 3 = 24 cm2

Answer:

The area of the parallelogram with a base of 8 cm and a height of 3 cm is 24 cm2.

"Find the Area" Widget

Here is a widget to help you learn the formulas to find the areas of different shapes.
  • Click on the shape you're learning about.
  • Click on the pad to start.
  • Follow the instructions in the bottom-left corner.
  • On the last click, the formula, workings, and answer will appear in the yellow box.
  • Enjoy!
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Lesson Slides

The slider below shows another real example of how to find the area of a parallelogram.

What Is a Parallelogram?

An ellipse is a squashed circle. A parallelogram is a flat, four-sided shape (a quadrilateral) whose opposite sides are of equal length and parallel.

parallelogram explained
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This page was written by Stephen Clarke.