What is the area of a trapezoid with bases of 5 cm and 7 cm, and a height of 4 cm?

To calculate the area of a trapezoid, you can use the formula:

[

\text{Area} = \frac{1}{2} \times (b_1 + b_2) \times h

]

where (b_1) and (b_2) are the lengths of the two bases, and (h) is the height.

In this case, the bases are 5 cm and 7 cm, and the height is 4 cm. Plugging these values into the formula gives:

[

\text{Area} = \frac{1}{2} \times (5 + 7) \times 4

]

[

= \frac{1}{2} \times 12 \times 4

]

[

= \frac{1}{2} \times 48

]

[

= 24 , \text{cm}^2

]

Therefore, the area of the trapezoid is indeed 24 cm². This calculation shows that the correct answer accurately represents the application of the formula for the area of a trapezoid, taking into account both bases and the height. Each component of the formula is