How is the area of a rectangle calculated?

The area of a rectangle is calculated by multiplying its length (l) by its width (w). This relationship is derived from the definition of area, which measures the space enclosed within a shape. In the case of a rectangle, the length represents one side, and the width represents the adjacent side. By multiplying these two dimensions, you obtain the total number of square units that can fit within the boundaries of the rectangle.

For instance, if a rectangle has a length of 5 units and a width of 3 units, the area would be calculated as 5 multiplied by 3, resulting in 15 square units. The formula emphasizes that both dimensions are essential for determining the space contained within the rectangle.

Other choices represent different mathematical concepts: the first choice reflects the formula for the perimeter (the total distance around the rectangle), the second choice summarizes the lengths of sides but does not calculate area, and the fourth choice pertains to the area of a square, where 's' represents the length of one side.