Trapezoid Calculator
Calculate the area, perimeter, and median of any trapezoid. Enter the two parallel bases and the height, with optional leg lengths for exact perimeter calculation.
A trapezoid (trapezium in British English) is a quadrilateral with exactly one pair of parallel sides, called bases. The non-parallel sides are called legs.
Trapezoid Formulas:
- Area: A = 1/2 x (b1 + b2) x h, where b1 and b2 are the parallel bases and h is the height.
- Median (Midsegment): m = (b1 + b2) / 2, which is the average of the two bases.
- Perimeter: P = b1 + b2 + leg1 + leg2.
Special Types:
- Isosceles trapezoid: The legs are equal in length. Base angles are equal, and diagonals are equal.
- Right trapezoid: One leg is perpendicular to the bases, forming two right angles.
The area formula can be understood as the height times the average of the two bases, or equivalently, the height times the median.