Which term is the distance around a polygon; the outside of the shape, like a fence?

• A. Area
• B. Radius
• C. Circumference
• D. Perimeter

Answer: (D)

Perimeter is the total distance around a polygon—the length of its boundary, like a fence around the shape. You get it by adding all the side lengths. For a rectangle, that’s 2 times the sum of its length and width. Area is the space inside, not the boundary. Circumference is the boundary length of a circle, not a polygon. Radius is a line from the center to the edge. So the term that fits the description is perimeter.