Question

In an isosceles trapezoid ABCD, AB=CD=5. The top base = 8 and the bottom base = 14. What is the area of this trapezoid?

Answer 1

Area: `44`

Explanation:

see diagram below:
`color(black)("specified values in black")`;
`color(red)("calculated values in red")`

Extracting a rectangle from the center section of the isosceles trapezoid leaves two right angled triangles with bases of `3` and hypotenuses of `5`
which implies a trapezoid height of `4` (since `3:4:5` is a standard right angled triangle).

Area of trapezoid `= ("base" + "top")/2 xx "height"`

`color(white)("XXXXXXXXX")= (14+8)/2xx4 = 44`