Calculating the perimeter of geometrical shapes is straightforward once you have the dimensions. For rectangles, including squares, the formula to find the perimeter is:
- \( \text{Perimeter of a rectangle} = 2 \times (\text{Length} + \text{Width}) \)
In the case of a square, where length equals width, the formula simplifies to:
- \( \text{Perimeter of a square} = 4 \times \text{Side length} \)
Using this formula, if a square has a side length of 7 feet, the perimeter would be:
- \( 4 \times 7 = 28 \) feet
Knowing how to calculate the perimeter helps optimize shapes, like determining the smallest possible perimeter for a designated area, as in our exercise.