Perimeter - GCSE Maths Definition
Reviewed by: Dan Finlay
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The perimeter of a (two-dimensional) shape is the total distance of all its edges. Perimeter is a distance, so is typically measured in units such as centimetres (cm) or metres (m). Some shapes, such as a semicircle, will have a perimeter made up of straight-lines and curves.
In GCSE Mathematics, understanding perimeter allows you to solve problems involving compound shapes (non-standard shapes made up of common shapes) and finding unknown lengths.
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