+1234 The area of a trapezoid is $80$. The length of one base is $16$ units greater than the other base, and one base of the trapezoid is $12$. Find the length of the median of the trapezoid.
+1245
The area of a trapezoid is $80$. The length of one base is $16$ units greater than the other base, and one base of the trapezoid is $12$. Find the length of the median of the trapezoid.
The length of the median is equal to the average of the two bases.
So, with one base 12, and the other base 16 longer, we have
12 + (12 + 16) 40
median = –––––––––––– = –––– = 20
2 2
The short base has to be 12, because 12 can't be 16 greater than another positive number.
The area of the trapezoid has no bearing on the solution to the problem.
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