Find the area of a trapezoid Math Quiz Online

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A trapezoid is a special form of quadrilateral where only one pair of opposite sides are parallel. In this quiz, the child is supposed to calculate the area of a trapezoid with given dimensions. In order to find the area, the child has to know the basic formula that is required to calculate. The quiz has enough number of questions to let the concept sink in very well and the child will not forget the formula very soon. Each of the questions displays an illustration of trapezoid along with the required set of dimensions and the kid has to use the appropriate formula to find the area.

Learn finding area of a trapezoid

A trapezoid is a shape that has four sides, with only two of them being parallel to each other. The two sides that are parallel to each other are called the “bases” of the trapezoid. The other two sides are called the “legs” of the trapezoid.

To find the area of a trapezoid, we use a formula that involves the lengths of the two bases and the height of the trapezoid. The height of the trapezoid is the distance between the two bases, perpendicular to them.

The formula for finding the area of a trapezoid is:

Area = (sum of bases * height) / 2

To use the formula, we need to measure the lengths of the two bases and the height, then plug those numbers into the formula. Let’s try an example:

Imagine we have a trapezoid with bases that are each 8 inches and 12 inches long, and a height of 10 inches. Plugging these numbers into the formula, we get:

Area = (8 + 12) * 10 / 2 = 20 * 10 / 2 = 200 / 2 = 100 inches

So the area of this trapezoid is 100 square inches.

It’s important to remember that the bases and height must be in the same units, whether it’s inches, feet, or centimeters. Make sure to use the same units for all measurements when using the formula.

Another way to find the area of a trapezoid is to first divide the trapezoid into two triangles. We can then use the formula for finding the area of a triangle, which is:

Area = (base * height) / 2

To use this formula, we need to measure the length of one of the legs (which will be the base of the triangle) and the height of the triangle (which is the same as the height of the trapezoid). We can then use the formula to find the area of each triangle, and add those areas together to find the total area of the trapezoid.

Let’s try the same example as before, but using this method:

Imagine we have a trapezoid with bases that are each 8 inches and 12 inches long, and a height of 10 inches. We’ll use the 8-inch base as the base of the first triangle, and the 12-inch base as the base of the second triangle. The height of both triangles is 10 inches.

The area of the first triangle is:

Area = 8 * 10 / 2 = 40 / 2 = 20 inches

The area of the second triangle is:

Area = 12 * 10 / 2 = 60 / 2 = 30 inches

The total area of the trapezoid is the sum of the areas of the two triangles:

Area = 20 + 30 = 50 inches

So the area of this trapezoid is 50 square inches.

It’s important to remember that the base and height must be in the same units, whether it’s inches, feet, or centimeters. Make sure to use the same units for both measurements when using the formula.