Perimeter
Perimeter is the total distance all the way around the outside edge of a shape with straight sides.
Think of it like building a fence around a backyard or the frame around a picture. You are measuring the distance of the outer border, not the space inside.
How to Find It
To find the perimeter of any shape with straight sides, you just add the lengths of all its individual sides together.
Examples
A Triangle: If the sides are 3 cm, 4 cm, and 5 cm, you add them up: 3 + 4 + 5 = 12 cm. Future Thought: Keep these three numbers, (3,4,5), in your brain because builders have used these numbers for thousands of years.
A Rectangle: Since opposite sides are equal, if the bottom is 5 meters and the side is 2 meters, the perimeter is 5 + 2 + 5 + 2 = 14 meters.
Think of it like building a fence around a backyard or the frame around a picture. You are measuring the distance of the outer border, not the space inside.
How to Find It
To find the perimeter of any shape with straight sides, you just add the lengths of all its individual sides together.
Examples
A Triangle: If the sides are 3 cm, 4 cm, and 5 cm, you add them up: 3 + 4 + 5 = 12 cm. Future Thought: Keep these three numbers, (3,4,5), in your brain because builders have used these numbers for thousands of years.
A Rectangle: Since opposite sides are equal, if the bottom is 5 meters and the side is 2 meters, the perimeter is 5 + 2 + 5 + 2 = 14 meters.