Perimeter of a Rectangle Calculator

1. Perimeter of a rectangle formula
2. How to calculate the perimeter of a rectangle?
3. Example perimeter of a rectangle problems
• Example 1: Rectangular garden
• Example 2: Rectangular column
• Example 3: Rectangular pool

    Perimeter of a rectangle formula

The formula for the perimeter of a rectangle is (width + length) x 2, as seen in the figure below:

Alternatively, it can be written as width x 2 + length x 2. Since opposite sides are of equal length by definition, the above is the equivalent of just adding the lengths of all four sides. Ensure all measurements in the calculation are in the same unit since the result will also be in that unit, e.g. mm, cm, meters, km, or in, ft, yd, miles. If the values are given in different units, convert them to a single unit before using the perimeter formula.

    How to calculate the perimeter of a rectangle?

First, measure each side and record the measurement using the same units. If you are working off a plan or schematic, you already have the measurement. Then, use the formula above, or use our perimeter of a rectangle calculator, whichever is easier for you. It's as simple as that.

The applications of rectangular geometry are key in various sciences and practical scenarios, e.g. in construction, engineering, home decoration, landscaping, and others. Note that a square is just a custom case of a rectangle in which both the length and width are equal.

    Example perimeter of a rectangle problems

A few problems showcasing how to find the perimeter of a rectangle should help grasp the math better.

Example 1: Rectangular garden

There is a rectangular garden. A wall needs to be raised on all sides of the garden. How long should the wall be?

The answer is that it needs to be as long as the perimeter of the rectangular garden. If one side of the garden is 30 feet and the other is 10 feet, what is its perimeter? The answer is simply (30 ft + 10 ft) · 2 = 40 · 2 = 80 feet. So one would need to build an 80-feet wall in order to completely encircle the garden.

Example 2: Rectangular column

A rectangular column has to be decorated with a stripe that covers. The column measures 30 cm in width and 50 cm in length. Find out how long the stripe should be.

The calculation requires finding the perimeter of a rectangle. To calculate it using the second variant of the perimeter formula:

• First, multiply the width by two: 30 cm · 2 = 60 cm.
• Then, multiply the length by two: 50 cm · 2 = 100 cm.
• Add the results up: 60 cm + 100 cm = 160 cm

The result can be verified using our calculator by entering a width of 30 cm and a length of 60 cm.

Example 3: Rectangular pool

A pool is being built, and one needs to calculate how many meters of tiles should be purchased for the waterline. The distance from one corner of the pool to the other is 50 meters, and on the shorter side it is 25 meters. Given these numbers, find its perimeter.

The pool is rectangular, so using the perimeter formula we calculate the perimeter to be (50 m + 25 m) · 2 = 75 m · 2 = 150 meters long. The answer is that we would need at least 150 meters worth of tiles to cover the combined length of the pool walls.