Parallelogram Calculator
Enter a parallelogram’s base and height for its area, plus a side length for the perimeter.
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- 1
Perimeter = 2 × (base + side)
2 × (8 + 6) = 28 - 2
Area = base × height
8 × 5 = 40
Formula
How this is calculated
A parallelogram is fixed by three measurements you enter. The base is the length of one side you rest the shape on. The height is the perpendicular distance straight up from that base to the opposite side — not the slanted edge, but the true vertical gap. The side length is the slanted edge adjacent to the base, used only for the perimeter.
The area is base × height. This works because any parallelogram can be sheared into a rectangle of the same base and height without changing the area: sliding the top edge sideways adds nothing and removes nothing. That is why the perpendicular height is essential — using the longer slanted side instead would overstate the area.
The perimeter is 2 × (base + side), since opposite sides are equal in length. All three inputs share one unit you choose (cm, m, in); the area comes out in those units squared and the perimeter in plain units. Inputs must be positive, and a valid parallelogram requires the height to be no greater than the side. Results are rounded to four decimal places.
Examples
| Input | Result |
|---|---|
| base = 8, height = 5, side = 6 | Area = 40, Perimeter = 28 |
About this calculator
A parallelogram is a quadrilateral with two pairs of parallel sides; opposite sides are equal in length and opposite angles are equal. Its area is the base multiplied by the perpendicular height — the same as a rectangle with that base and height, because shearing does not change area.
Unlike the height, the slanted side is generally longer, so the perimeter uses the actual side length: 2 × (base + side). Be sure to use the perpendicular height (not the slanted side) when computing area.
Frequently asked questions
Multiply the base by the perpendicular height: Area = base × height. A base of 8 and height of 5 gives an area of 40 square units.
Area depends on how tall the shape stands above its base. The slanted side is longer than the perpendicular height, so using it would overstate the area.
Add the base and the adjacent side, then double it: Perimeter = 2 × (base + side), since opposite sides are equal.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Parallelogram Calculator [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/parallelogram-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Parallelogram Calculator." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/parallelogram-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Parallelogram Calculator," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/parallelogram-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_parallelogram_calculator, title = {Parallelogram Calculator}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/parallelogram-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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