Which formula expresses the area of a square in terms of its side length s?

Which formula expresses the area of a square in terms of its side length s?

• A. A = s
• B. A = s^2
• C. A = 2s
• D. A = s/2

Answer: (B)

Area is the amount of space inside a shape, and for a square the two dimensions are the same—the side length s. So the space inside is found by multiplying s by itself: s × s = s^2. That’s why the area formula is A = s^2. The other expressions don’t describe area: A = s would give a length, not an area; A = 2s isn’t an area measure for a square; A = s/2 also doesn’t represent area.

Area is the amount of space inside a shape, and for a square the two dimensions are the same—the side length s. So the space inside is found by multiplying s by itself: s × s = s^2. That’s why the area formula is A = s^2. The other expressions don’t describe area: A = s would give a length, not an area; A = 2s isn’t an area measure for a square; A = s/2 also doesn’t represent area.