need help ! good explanation how to solve it !

Question

Find the AREA of the TRAPEZOID below: *

is this correct 2x(2+4)/4 which the kanswer will be 6 right ?

Answer 1

Hi Londyn,

You can think of this shape in three pieces.

See the rectangle in the middle and the triangles on both sides.

If you move the triangle from the right to the left and flip it upside down, you can make it to be a rectangle.

While the height stays the same (2 in), the "new" width becomes 3 in since all trapezoids are symmetric according to the horizontal axis.

Thus, the area will be (height) * (new width) where new width = [(top)+(bottom)] / 2.

Therefore, the are of the trapezoid is (height)*[(top)+(bottom)] / 2 = 2 * (2 + 4) / 2 = 6.

Hope this was helpful.

Answer 2

Area of trapezoid: (a+b)(h/2)

a = length of top side = base 1 = 2 inches

b = length of bottom side = base 2 = 4 inches

h = height = red line = 2 inches

(2+4)(2/2)=(6)(1)= 6 inches