Advanced Geometry : How to find the area of a trapezoid

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Advanced Geometry

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Example Questions

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Example Question #31 : How To Find The Area Of A Trapezoid

Find the area of the figure below.

10

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

13

From the figure, you should notice that it is made up of a right triangle and a trapezoid. The lower base of the trapezoid is also the hypotenuse of the right triangle.

First, find the length of the hypotenuse of the right triangle using the Pythagorean Theorem.

Next, use this value to find the area of the trapezoid.

Plug in the given and found values to find the area.

Next, find the area of the triangle.

To find the area of the figure, add the two areas together.

Make sure to round to  places after the decimal.

Example Question #31 : Trapezoids

Find the area of the figure below.

11

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

13

From the figure, you should notice that it is made up of a right triangle and a trapezoid. The lower base of the trapezoid is also the hypotenuse of the right triangle.

First, find the length of the hypotenuse of the right triangle using the Pythagorean Theorem.

Next, use this value to find the area of the trapezoid.

Plug in the given and found values to find the area.

Next, find the area of the triangle.

To find the area of the figure, add the two areas together.

Make sure to round to  places after the decimal.

Example Question #71 : Quadrilaterals

Find the area of the figure below.

12

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

13

From the figure, you should notice that it is made up of a right triangle and a trapezoid. The lower base of the trapezoid is also the hypotenuse of the right triangle.

First, find the length of the hypotenuse of the right triangle using the Pythagorean Theorem.

Next, use this value to find the area of the trapezoid.

Plug in the given and found values to find the area.

Next, find the area of the triangle.

To find the area of the figure, add the two areas together.

Make sure to round to  places after the decimal.

Example Question #31 : Trapezoids

Find the area of the figure below.

6

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

13

From the figure, you should notice that it is made up of a right triangle and a trapezoid. The lower base of the trapezoid is also the hypotenuse of the right triangle.

First, find the length of the hypotenuse of the right triangle using the Pythagorean Theorem.

Next, use this value to find the area of the trapezoid.

Plug in the given and found values to find the area.

Next, find the area of the triangle.

To find the area of the figure, add the two areas together.

Make sure to round to  places after the decimal.

Example Question #31 : How To Find The Area Of A Trapezoid

Find the area of the figure.

7

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

13

From the figure, you should notice that it is made up of a right triangle and a trapezoid. The lower base of the trapezoid is also the hypotenuse of the right triangle.

First, find the length of the hypotenuse of the right triangle using the Pythagorean Theorem.

Next, use this value to find the area of the trapezoid.

Plug in the given and found values to find the area.

Next, find the area of the triangle.

To find the area of the figure, add the two areas together.

Make sure to round to  places after the decimal.

Example Question #71 : Plane Geometry

Trapezoid

Figure NOT drawn to scale.

Examine the above trapezoid. 

True, false, or inconclusive: the area of Trapezoid  is 200.

Possible Answers:

True

False

Correct answer:

True

Explanation:

The area of a trapezoid is equal to one half the product of half the height of the trapezoid and the sum of the lengths of the bases. This is 

or, equivalently,

The height of the trapezoid is 

The lengths of bases  and  are not given, so it might appear that determining the area of the trapezoid is impossible. 

However, it is given that  and  - that is, the segment  bisects both legs of the trapezoid. This makes  the midsegment of the trapezoid, the length of which is the arithmetic mean of those of the bases:

.

Therefore, the formula for the area of the trapezoid can be rewritten as

,

the product of the height and the length of the midsegment.

 and , so

,

making the statement true.

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