FTCE General Knowledge Math Practice Test 2025 – All-in-One Guide to Ensure Exam Success!

To calculate the area of a triangle, the formula used is \( \frac{1}{2}bh \), where \( b \) represents the base of the triangle and \( h \) represents its height. This formula is derived from the concept that the area of a triangle is half the area of a rectangle that has the same base and height.

To clarify, the product \( bh \) gives you the area of a rectangle with a width equal to the base of the triangle and a height equal to the height of the triangle. Since a triangle occupies half the space of that rectangle, the area of the triangle is calculated by multiplying the rectangle's area by \( \frac{1}{2} \).

The other options do not represent the area of a triangle:

- The sum of the base and height (b + h) does not provide any area measure.

- The product \( bh \) yields the area of a rectangle, not a triangle.

- The expression \( 2b + 2h \) relates to the perimeter of a rectangle, not its area.

Thus, using \( \frac{1}{2}bh \) effectively gives the correct area for a triangle.