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Area of parallelogram base 7.5 height 4

Step by step, with the reason for every step · Parallelogram and trapezoid · Geometry

Step by step

The question

Question: find the area of a parallelogram with base 7.5 and height 4.

1 Make a rectangle

A parallelogram has two pairs of parallel sides.

It looks like a rectangle pushed over.

The height goes straight up from the base.

It makes a right angle with the base.

Cut off the triangle at the left end.

Move it to the right end.

It fits exactly.

Now it is a rectangle, 7.5 long and 4 high.

Nothing was added or lost, so the area is the same.

2 Base times height

So the area is base times height: A = b × h.

A = b × h

Now put the numbers in: b = 7.5 and h = 4.

A = 7.5 × 4

Forget the points: 75 times 4 is 300.

The numbers have 1 digit after the point.

So the answer has 1 too: 30.0, which is 30.

75 × 4 = 300 → 30.0

So the area is 30 square units.

A = 30

3 Check

Let's check another way.

A line from corner to corner cuts it into two triangles.

Each triangle is half of base times height.

Both have base 7.5 and height 4.

12 × 7.5 × 4 + 12 × 7.5 × 4 = 15 + 15 = 30

We get 30 again.

So the area is right!

Let's look back.

First: make a rectangle.

Then: base times height.

Last: check.

Answer
A = 30

Your turn

Try this one yourself, then check:

Find the area.
Show the answer
A = 17

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