calciz

Trapezoid Area Calculator

Area from the two parallel sides and the height between them.

The perpendicular distance between the parallel sides.
Optional, for the perimeter.
Optional, for the perimeter.

The formula

area = (a + b) / 2 × h

Average the two parallel sides, multiply by the height. It works because a trapezoid is exactly a rectangle whose width is that average. Sides 10 and 6 with height 4: (10+6)/2 × 4 = 32.

Height, not leg

The h in the formula is the perpendicular distance between the parallel sides, not the length of a slanted leg. Using the leg overestimates the area; on a nearly-right trapezoid the difference is small, on a low, wide one it's huge.