What is the formula for calculating the area of a triangle?

The formula for calculating the area of a triangle is derived from the basic principles of geometry. Specifically, the area of a triangle can be understood as a portion of the area of a rectangle. When you take the base of the triangle and the height from that base to the opposite vertex, the area of the triangle is essentially half of that rectangle.

Using the formula, when you calculate the area of a triangle, you multiply the base by the height to get the total area of the rectangle that would encompass the triangle. Since a triangle represents half of that rectangle, you then apply the factor of one-half to the base times height. This results in the formula:

Area = 1/2 × base × height.

This method highlights the geometric relationship between triangles and rectangles, making the formula intuitive. The other options mention other measurements and formulas that apply to different shapes or contexts.