Answer:
\(A=40\text{ ft}^2\)
Step-by-step explanation:
This trapezoid is composed of:
- 1 rectangle
- 2 identical triangles
Using this knowledge of its composition, we can construct an equation to model its total area using the rectangle and triangle area formulas:
\(A = A_\square + 2(A_\triangle)\)
\(A = (l\cdot w) + 2(\frac{1}{2} \cdot b \cdot h)\)
↓ executing the multiplication ... \(2(\frac{1}{2}) = 1\)
\(A = (l\cdot w) + (b \cdot h)\)
Next, we can plug in the given dimensions:
\(A=(8\cdot 4) + (2 \cdot 4)\)
\(A=32 + 8\)
\(\boxed{A=40\text{ ft}^2}\)
