Question

What is the formula for area of a trapeziod?

Answer 1

`A_"trapezoid"=(b_1+b_2)/2xxh`

Explanation:

`A_"trapezoid"=(b_1+b_2)/2xxh`

An easy and intuitive way to think about this formula is in how it is similar to the area of a rectangle.

In a trapezoid, the bases are different lengths, so we can take the average of the bases, `(b_1+b_2)/2`, to find the "average" base length. This is then multiplied by the height. In a rectangle, the bases are always the same length, but here, imagine taking some from the longer base and giving it to the shorter base.