What is the area of the trapezoid if the diagram is not drawn to scale?

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Calculating the Area of a Trapezoid

The area of a trapezoid can be calculated using the formula:

Area = 1/2 * (b1 + b2) * h

  • b1 = length of the first base
  • b2 = length of the second base
  • h = height of the trapezoid (the perpendicular distance between the bases)

Even if the trapezoid’s diagram is not to scale, you can still use the lengths provided or calculated for the bases and the height to find the area.

Example Calculation

Suppose we have a trapezoid with:

  • Base 1 (b1) = 8 cm
  • Base 2 (b2) = 5 cm
  • Height (h) = 4 cm

Plugging these values into the formula gives:

Area = 1/2 * (8 + 5) * 4
     = 1/2 * 13 * 4
     = 26 cm²

Therefore, the area of the trapezoid is 26 square centimeters.

In conclusion, even if the diagram is not drawn to scale, as long as you have the actual values for the bases and height, you can accurately calculate the area of the trapezoid using the provided formula.

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