How To Calculate Area Of A Triangle

Whether you're carpeting a room, hanging wallpaper or shingling a roof, you may need to calculate the area of a triangle. Knowing the correct formula will make your job easier and save you time by avoiding mistakes. If it's been a while since your last math class, you may need help remembering how to calculate the area of a triangle.

Step 1

Use the formula base (b) times height (h) divided by 2 to calculate the area of a triangle (b x h / 2).

Step 2

Choose any side of the triangle as the base. If it's right triangle, use one of the sides forming the right angle.

Step 3

Measure the length of the base.

Step 4

Find the height of the triangle. The height is not necessarily one of the triangle's sides. The height will always be at a right angle, or perpendicular, to the base. Measure the height.

Step 5

Multiply the base times the height.

Step 6

Take the number that you calculated in Step 5 and divide it by 2. This will give you the area of the triangle, or the total square measurement.