How to Figure Square Yards of Blacktop

When installing a new driveway you have to determine how many square yards of material you'll need to order. By having this information on hand, you'll be able to tell the supplier what you need for your project. Finding this number can be tricky though, because the area may not be a perfect geometric shape. Fortunately, with a few special tricks, you'll be able to figure your square yardage in a flash.

Paper
Pencil
Tape measure
Calculator

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the perimeter of your blacktop using the tape measure, and sketch out the measurements onto the piece of paper using a pencil, creating a map of the area.
- 2
  Break up the map into geometric shapes using the pencil and pen, then measure the new shapes on the ground using the tape measure.
- 3
  Determine the square footage of a rectangular area by multiplying the length of the area by the width using the calculator. Record this number on the piece of paper.
- 4
  Determine the square footage of a circular area by measuring the diameter of the circle. Multiply that number by itself, then divide the result by four, and multiply that result times 3.14. Record this number on the piece of paper.
- 5
  Determine the square footage of a triangle by measuring the length and width of the triangle. Multiply the length and the width, then divide the result by two. Record this number on the piece of paper.
- 6
  Determine the square footage of a half circle by measuring the diameter of the half circle. Multiply the diameter by itself, then divide the result by 8 and multiply that result by 3.14. Record this number on the piece of paper.
- 7
  Add up all of the numbers you recorded using the calculator, and that is the total square footage of the area. Divide that number by nine, and that is the total square yardage of that area.

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