Question

Please help thank you.

Answer 1

This problem can be completed in 2 ways. Both are acceptable.

Option 1:

This is an isosceles trapezoid that can be divided into a rectangle and two congruent triangles.

The area of the rectangle is the base times the height.


`9 * 4=36`

The area of one of the triangles is half the base times the height.


`(1)/(2) * 5 * 4 = 10`

The other triangle must have that area too.


`36+10+10=56`

The area is 56 square centimeters.

Option 2:

We can use the area formula for the trapezoid.


`A=(b_1+b_2)/(2) * h`

Where
`b_1` is the length of the shorter base
and
`b_2` is the length of the longer base
and
`h` is the height.

The length of the shorter base is 9.
The length of the longer base is 9+5+5, or 19.

The height is 4.


`A=(9+19)/(2) * 4`


`=56`

Same answer. The area is 56 square centimeters.

Both options are two acceptable ways the problem can be tackled.