How do you find the area of a triangle?

To find the area of a triangle, the appropriate formula is indeed A = ½ bh, where 'b' represents the length of the base of the triangle and 'h' represents the height. This formula is derived from the concept that a triangle can be thought of as half of a rectangle.

In calculating area, we look at how much space a shape occupies, and in the case of a triangle, knowing both the base and the height allows us to form this calculation effectively. The height is the perpendicular distance from the base to the opposite vertex, which is crucial for accurately determining the triangular area. Thus, multiplying the base by the height gives us the full rectangle's area, and dividing by two gives us the area of the triangle.

The alternative options do not apply to triangles: the formula for rectangles (length times width) does not account for the specific properties of triangles, the circular area formula involves π and the radius (which are unrelated to triangular shapes), and the last option, which adds the base and height, does not relate to calculating area at all. Understanding these distinctions reinforces the correct use of the formula for finding the area of a triangle.