What does the area of a triangle represent?

The area of a triangle is calculated using a formula that takes into account both the base and the height of the triangle. The correct formula is A = ½ Base × Height, which reflects that the area of a triangle is essentially half the product of its base and height.

To understand this, consider that if you have a rectangle with the same base and height as the triangle, the area of that rectangle would indeed be A = Base × Height. Since a triangle occupies half of the area of such a rectangle when drawn between the same base and height, we use the factor of one-half in the formula for the triangle's area. This geometric relationship illustrates why the half factor is essential in accurately calculating the area of a triangle.

Other options do not correctly encapsulate this relationship. The formula for the area of a triangle must include the division by two, reflecting the triangle's nature compared to a rectangle.