Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) Practice Test

Which of the following expressions represents the area of a rectangle?

1. length + width

2. length * width

3. length / width

4. length - width

The correct answer is: length * width

The area of a rectangle is defined as the product of its length and width. This relationship arises because area is a measure of two-dimensional space within a shape, and for rectangles, you calculate this by multiplying the two dimensions that define its boundaries. When you multiply the length by the width, you are essentially counting how many units fit along each dimension, which gives you the total number of square units that can be contained within the rectangle. The other expressions do not represent area accurately. Adding length and width would provide a measure of perimeter rather than area. Dividing length by width does not produce a meaningful measurement relevant to area, and subtracting width from length would give a difference, not an area measurement. Therefore, the only expression that effectively calculates the area of a rectangle is the multiplication of length and width.