How do you find side b for a trapezoid?

1 Answer
Oct 18, 2015

b=(2A)/h-a

Explanation:

A=(h(a+b))/2 is the formula to find the area of a trapezoid (trapezium), where A is the area, h is the height, a is one parallel side, and b is the other parallel side..

Solving for side b implies that you know the area A, side a, and the height.

Multiply both sides times 2.

2A=h(a+b)

Divide both sides by h.

(2A)/h=a+b

Subtract a from both sides.

(2A)/h-a=b

Switch sides.

b=(2A)/h-a

![http://www.analyzemath.com/Geometry_calculators/http://trapezoid.html](https://useruploads.socratic.org/wBcT4yQITn97UdMm2hgA_trapezoid_1.gif)