Question

find the area of a trapezoid with bases 8 cm and 12 cm, and a height of 5 cm.

Explanation:

Step1: Recall the formula for the area of a trapezoid

The formula for the area of a trapezoid is \(A=\frac{(b_1 + b_2)h}{2}\), where \(b_1\) and \(b_2\) are the lengths of the bases and \(h\) is the height.

Step2: Substitute the given values into the formula

Here, \(b_1 = 8\) cm, \(b_2=12\) cm, and \(h = 5\) cm. So, \(A=\frac{(8 + 12)\times5}{2}\).
First, calculate the sum of the bases: \(8+12 = 20\). Then, multiply by the height: \(20\times5=100\). Finally, divide by 2: \(\frac{100}{2}=50\).

Answer:

\(50\mathrm{cm}^2\)