Author:
Judy Howell
Date Of Creation:
2 July 2021
Update Date:
1 July 2024
Content
A trapezoid or trapezoid is a geometrical quadrilateral with at least one pair of opposite sides running parallel. This means that both sides can be called the base, the uniqueness of the trapezium is this combination of a small and a large base. Follow these steps to calculate the area of a trapezoid.
To step
Determine the length of both the small and the large base. These are the parallel sides of the trapezoid. We call the sides "a" and "b" in this example. Side "a" has a length of 8 cm, side "b" has a length of 13 cm. 
Add the lengths of both sides together. 8 cm + 13 cm = 21 cm. 
Determine the height of the trapezoid. The height of a trapezoid is perpendicular to the sides. In this example, the height is 7 cm. 
Multiply the sum of the lengths of the small and large base by the height. The sum of the lengths of the sides is 21 cm and the height is 7 cm. 21 cm x 7 cm = 147 cm. 
Divide the result by two. Divide 147 cm by 2.147 cm / 2 = 73.5 cm. The area of the trapezium in this example is therefore 73.5 cm. You have now followed the formula for determining the area of a trapezoid, namely: [(b1 + b2) x h] / 2.
