ABCD is a trapezium with BC = a, AD = b, the perpendicular distance between AD and BC is h.
(a) Using the small letters given, write down the area of triangle ABC.
(b) What is the height of triangle ADC with AD as the base?
(c) Using the small letters given, write down the area of triangle ADC.
(d) Write down the area of trapezium ABCD using the letters, a, b and h.
(e) Write a formula for the area of the trapezium with parallel sides of length a and b units and height h units.
Answer (2)
** (a) (1/2)ah**
** (b) h**
** (c) (1/2)bh**
** (d) (1/2)ah +(1/2)bh**
** (e) A = (1/2)(a+b)h** ;
The area of triangle ABC is 2 1 ah , and the height of triangle ADC is h . The area of triangle ADC is 2 1 bh , leading to the formula for the area of trapezium ABCD as 2 1 ah + 2 1 bh . The general formula for the area of a trapezium is A = 2 1 ( a + b ) h .
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