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

The formula for finding the area of a trapezoid is indeed given by multiplying the average of the lengths of the two bases by the height. In mathematical terms, this is represented as:

Area = (1/2) × (base1 + base2) × height.

This formula works because a trapezoid has two parallel sides, referred to as the bases. To find the area, you first add the lengths of these two bases, which gives you the total length of those sides. By taking half of that sum, you get the average length of the bases.

Multiplying this average by the height (the perpendicular distance between the two bases) gives you the area, encapsulating the entire shape of the trapezoid. This is significant because the bases are not equal, so simply multiplying one of the bases by the height would not accurately represent the area of the trapezoid. The other provided formulas apply to different shapes altogether; for instance, the formula for the area of a circle or a rectangle would not yield the correct area for a trapezoid.