Florida Real Estate Sales Associate Examination Content OutlineReal Estate MathMedium
A land parcel is shaped like a trapezoid with parallel sides measuring 150 feet and 250 feet, and a perpendicular distance between them of 200 feet. What is the area of this parcel in square feet?
- A50,000 sq ft
- B30,000 sq ft
- C20,000 sq ft
- D40,000 sq ft
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. 40,000 sq ft
The formula for the area of a trapezoid is A = 0.5 * (sum of parallel sides) * height. So, A = 0.5 * (150 ft + 250 ft) * 200 ft = 0.5 * 400 ft * 200 ft = 200 ft * 200 ft = 40,000 sq ft.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. This might result from multiplying all three numbers together without the 0.5 factor.
- B. This calculation suggests an error in the formula or arithmetic.
- C. This would be the area if only one parallel side was used or an incorrect height.
Area of a Trapezoid
The amount of two-dimensional space occupied by a trapezoidal shape, calculated using the lengths of its parallel sides and its perpendicular height.
- Formula: A = 0.5 × (base1 + base2) × height.
- Units are always square units (e.g., sq ft, sq meters).
- Used for irregularly shaped land parcels.
Memory trick: Area Always Adds All Angles.