The Lesson
A trapezoid is a four sided shape with one pair of opposite parallel sides.Dictionary Definition
The Oxford English Dictionary defines a rectangle as "a quadrilateral figure having only two sides parallel."Parts of a Trapezoid
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The parallel sides of a trapezoid are called bases.
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The other sides of a trapezoid are called legs or lateral sides.
Properties of Trapezoids
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Only one pair of sides of a trapezoid is parallel.
The other pair of sides is not parallel.
The Perimeter of a Trapezoid
The perimeter of a trapezoid is given by the formula:In this formula, b1 and b2 are the lengths of the bases of the trapezoid and l1 and l2 are the lengths of the legs of the trapezoid.
The Area of a Trapezoid
The area of a trapezoid is given by the formula:In this formula, b1 and b2 are the lengths of the bases of the trapezoid and h is the height of the trapezoid.
how to find the area of a trapezoid