3rd Grade Area and Perimeter Worksheet (Rectangles)

Inside versus around

Area and perimeter answer two different questions about the same rectangle. Area is the space inside — found by multiplying length x width, measured in square units. Perimeter is the distance around the edge — found by adding all four sides, measured in regular units. Keeping these straight is the whole challenge at this grade.

How to use it

For each rectangle, have students find both and label the units — “sq cm” for area, “cm” for perimeter. A helpful image: area is the carpet that covers the floor; perimeter is the baseboard around the room. The multiplication practice here ties back to multiplication facts.