What is the formula for the area of a rectangle?

The formula for the area of a rectangle is given by multiplying its length by its width. This represents the total number of square units that can fit within the rectangle. Each unit square has a length of one unit and a width of one unit, so when you multiply the length (the measurement of one side of the rectangle) by the width (the measurement of the adjacent side), you effectively calculate how many of these unit squares can fit inside the rectangle.

For example, if the length of the rectangle is 5 units and the width is 3 units, the area would be calculated as 5 × 3 = 15 square units. This formula is foundational in geometry and applies uniformly regardless of the specific measurements of the rectangle.

Other options do not correctly define the area of a rectangle, as they either involve addition, subtraction, or division, which are not relevant to calculating area in this context. Area is exclusively determined by the product of the two distinct dimensions of a rectangle.