Which expression correctly computes the area of a square with side length s?

Which expression correctly computes the area of a square with side length s?

• A. s^2
• B. s^3
• C. 2s
• D. s

Answer: (A)

The area of a square comes from multiplying its two dimensions. A square has equal length and width, both equal to s, so the area is s times s, which is s squared. This gives the correct unit of square units. The other expressions don’t match the idea of area: s^3 would measure volume (length cubed), 2s is just a linear dimension, and s is the side length itself, not the area.