TopEduPrep · Geometry Dojo

Rectangle Area Ratios: Zero to AMC Hero

Two cevians. One crossing point. A red triangle and a yellow region fighting for territory. By the end of these 50 panels, you'll solve it cold — no matter how scary the ratio looks.

50problems
5tiers
50worked examples
100%multiple choice
CONCEPT

The Big Idea, in 3 Panels

① Same base or same height? Areas just scale.

If two triangles share a height, their areas are in the same ratio as their bases. Share a base instead? Ratio follows the heights.

Area = ½ · base · height

② Put the rectangle on a grid.

Set D=(0,0), C=(1,0), B=(1,1), A=(0,1). Any point on a side becomes one letter — a fraction of the way along. Any triangle's area becomes one formula: the Shoelace Formula.

Area = ½|x₁(y₂−y₃)+x₂(y₃−y₁)+x₃(y₁−y₂)|

③ Two cevians cross → one intersection point does all the work.

Draw A→F and D→E. Where they cross is point P. Once you know P's coordinates, every triangle and every leftover region in the rectangle is just a shoelace calculation away.

A B D C E F P

Answer Key