Identify the shape (rectangle, triangle, circle, trapezoid, etc.)
Choose the correct area formula for that shape
Substitute the given measurements into the formula
Compute the area value
State the final answer with the correct units squared (e.g., cm², m²)
Rectangle: (A = ell times w)
Square: (A = s^2)
Triangle: (A = frac{1}{2}bh)
Parallelogram: (A = bh)
Trapezoid: (A = frac{(b_1 + b_2)}{2}h)
Circle: (A = pi r^2)
Annulus (ring): (A = pi(R^2 – r^2))
Regular polygon: (A = frac{1}{2}Pa)
Composite figures: split into simpler shapes, find each area, add/subtract
Irregular shapes on a grid: count full squares + estimate partial squares, then convert to units squared