What is the formula for calculating the area of a trapezoid?

The area of a trapezoid is calculated using the formula that takes into account the lengths of the two parallel sides (known as the bases) and the height of the trapezoid. The correct formula states that the area is equal to one-half the sum of the lengths of the two bases multiplied by the height. This approach recognizes that a trapezoid can be thought of as a shape that sits between two parallel lines, and to find its area, you essentially average the lengths of the two bases (since they are of varying lengths) and then multiply by the height, which represents the perpendicular distance between the bases.

Using the formula ( \text{Area} = \frac{1}{2} \times (\text{Base}_1 + \text{Base}_2) \times \text{Height} ) allows you to accurately calculate the area of the trapezoid regardless of the specific lengths of the bases, provided you know the height. This understanding is crucial in many applications, such as geometry problems, architectural design, and various real-world scenarios involving trapezoidal shapes.