What is the formula used to calculate the area of a triangle?

The formula for calculating the area of a triangle is given by multiplying the base by the height and then dividing the result by two. This is expressed mathematically as Area = 1/2 (base x height).

The reason this formula is correct is rooted in the geometric properties of triangles. A triangle can be thought of as half of a rectangle (or parallelogram), with the base being one side of this rectangle and the height being the perpendicular distance from the base to the opposite vertex. By taking the area of the rectangle (base x height) and halving it, you derive the area of the triangle.

This fundamental understanding of how triangles relate to rectangles is critical for accurate area calculation and is widely taught in early mathematics curricula.