Use a conversion factor to convert from inches to feet. The area of a trapezoid is one half of the product of its height and the sum of its bases.
7/16ft^2
Practice makes perfect
We are told that a trapezoid has base lengths of 9 and 12 inches and a height of 6 inches. Let's see the diagram!
Before we substitute these two values into the formula for the area of a trapezoid, let's convert the inches into feet. Converting between inches and feet will involve using a conversion factor.
1ft/12in.
Let's convert the measurements of our trapezoid!
Inches
Conversion
Feet
Bottom Base
12
12* 1/12
1
Top Base
9
9* 1/12
3/4
Height
6
6* 1/12
1/2
We found that the bottom base of the trapezoid is 1 foot, the top base is 34 foot, and the height is 12 foot. Now we can substitute these values into the formula for the area of a trapezoid. Let's do it!
