How do you find the area of a trapezoid?

To find the area of a trapezoid, you use the formula that calculates the average of the lengths of the two parallel sides (known as the bases) multiplied by the height of the trapezoid. The formula is A = 1/2 * (base₁ + base₂) * height.

This makes sense because a trapezoid can be thought of as a sort of "average" of a rectangle and a triangle. By averaging the lengths of the two bases, you effectively determine the width of a shape that could fit in the trapezoid if it were flattened out horizontally. Multiplying this average by the height gives the total area contained within the trapezoid.

The other formulas provided pertain to different geometric shapes: one applies to rectangles and right-angled triangles, another specifically to circles, which clarifies that each formula pertains to unique structures with specific properties. Thus, option A is chosen for calculating the area of a trapezoid due to its tailored consideration of the bases and the height specific to this particular shape.