Flight Mechanic

Aircraft Mechanic School Study Supplement for Future Aviation Maintenance Technicians




You are here: Home / Basic Aviation Maintenance / Aviation Mathematics / Computing Area of Two-dimensional Solids – Rectangles and Squares
Regretfully, Flight-Mechanic will be turning out the lights after fifteen years. Google, in its infinite wisdom, has chosen to remove Flight-Mechanic from its search results (the claim is that the content on this site is spam). We appealed their decision to shut us down, to no avail.

Unfortunately, since Google has a monopoly over internet search, this means that traffic levels on the site will drop to a level that makes maintaining it uneconomic. As time progresses, we will no longer be able to maintain the server space and will remove the site from the internet. Thanks to all who have supported us over the years.

To fight back against the monopolistic practices of companies like Google, we recommend using a competing search engine such as Brave (you get the added benefit of not being spied on by Big Tech) and advocating for anti-trust legislation from your representatives.

Computing Area of Two-dimensional Solids – Rectangles and Squares

Filed Under: Aviation Mathematics

Area is a measurement of the amount of surface of an object. Area is usually expressed in such units as square inches or square centimeters for small surfaces or in square feet or square meters for larger surfaces.

Rectangle

A rectangle is a four-sided figure with opposite sides of equal length and parallel. [Figure 1-13] All of the angles are right angles. A right angle is a 90° angle. The rectangle is a very familiar shape in mechanics. The formula for the area of a rectangle is:

Area = Length × Width = L × W

Figure 1-13. Rectangle.
Figure 1-13. Rectangle.

Example: An aircraft floor panel is in the form of a rectangle having a length of 24 inches and a width of 12 inches. What is the area of the panel expressed in square inches? First, determine the known values and substitute them in the formula.

A = L × W = 24 inches × 12 inches = 288 square inches

Square

A square is a four-sided figure with all sides of equal length and parallel. [Figure 1-14] All angles are right angles. The formula for the area of a square is:

Area = Length × Width = L × W

Figure 1-14. Square.
Figure 1-14. Square.

Since the length and the width of a square are the same value, the formula for the area of a square can also be written as:

Area = Side × Side = S^2

Example: What is the area of a square access plate whose side measures 25 inches? First, determine the known value and substitute it in the formula.

A = L × W = 25 inches × 25 inches = 625 square inches

 

Flight Mechanic Recommends

Rod Machado's Private Pilot Handbook -Flight Literacy recommends Rod Machado's products because he takes what is normally dry and tedious and transforms it with his characteristic humor, helping to keep you engaged and to retain the information longer. (see all of Rod Machado's Products).
   
-->