Question

The area of a trapezoid is 18 square meters. One base is 3 meters long and the other is 6 meters long. Find the height of the trapezoid. Step 2 of 3 : Without substitution, solve the formula chosen in the previous step for the unknown variable in terms of the known variable(s).

Answer 1

Answer:

height = 4 meters

h = 2A / ( a +  b )

Step-by-step explanation:

Let A represent the area of the trapezoid, h, the height a, the length of one base and b, the length of the other base

Area of a trapezoid, A = ( a + b)* h / 2

Now let's slot in the given values

A= 18 sq meters

a = 3 meters

b = 6 meters

we have;

18 = ( 3 + 6 ) * h /2

18 = 9 * h /2

Cross multiply

18*2 = 9h

36 = 9h

divide both sides by the coefficient of h (9)

4 = h

therefore, h = 4 meters

To solve for h without substituting

From A = ( a + b )* h /2

cross multiply

2*A = ( a + b )* h

divide both sides by ( a + b )

2A / ( a + b ) = h

therefore,

h = 2A / ( a +  b )