Question

The difference between the two parallel sides of a trapezium is 8 m. The perpendicular distance between them is 24 m. If the area of the trapezium is 312 m², then what are the lengths of the two parallel sides ?

Answer 1

Let x and x + 8 be the two parallel sides of the trapezium. Then,

\(\frac{1}{2}\times(x +x+8)\) x 24 = 312 ⇒ 2x + 8 = 26 ⇒ 2x = 18 ⇒ x = 9

∴ The two parallel sides are 9 m and 17 m.