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Mathematics vocabulary · Geometry

Perimeter

Meaning in mathematics, with examples

/pəˈrɪmɪtər/nounCore term

In mathematics, perimeter means: The total length of the boundary of a flat shape; for a rectangle 5 cm long and 3 cm wide, the perimeter is 16 cm.

In Turkish: çevre, çevre uzunluğu

How it is used

You find or calculate the perimeter by adding the lengths of all the sides. The perimeter of a circle is called its 'circumference'. Perimeter is a length, so it is measured in cm or m, not in square units.

Example sentences

  1. The garden has a perimeter of 48 metres, so we need 48 metres of fencing.

  2. Two rectangles can have the same perimeter but different areas.

Common collocations

  • find the perimeter
  • perimeter of a rectangle
  • perimeter and area
  • total perimeter
  • areaThe size of a flat surface, measured in square units such as cm² or m²; a rectangle 4 m long and 3 m wide has an area of 12 m².
  • radiusThe distance from the centre of a circle or sphere to any point on its edge; it is half the diameter.
  • diameterA straight line from one side of a circle or sphere to the other through its centre, or the length of this line, which is twice the radius.
  • triangleA flat shape with three straight sides and three angles; the angles inside any triangle always add up to 180 degrees.

More terms: Geometry

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