What is the formula for the area of a triangle?

The formula for the area of a triangle is given by multiplying the base of the triangle by its height and then dividing by 2. This is represented as Area = 1/2 × base × height. The reason for dividing by 2 is that a triangle can be thought of as half of a rectangle. When the base and height are used to define a rectangle's area, the triangle occupies half of that area when split diagonally. This relationship is fundamental in geometry and is applicable to all triangles, regardless of their specific shape, as long as the base and height are correctly measured.

This understanding reinforces the foundational concept that multiple shapes can share common area formulas but differ in their specific dimensions, such as triangles compared to rectangles or circles.