Question

Which of the following shows the equation A=1/2(b1+b2)h
correctly rearranged for the quantity of interest b1
?

Answer 1

To rearrange the equation for the area of a trapezoid, \( A = \frac{1}{2}(b_1 + b_2)h \), to solve for \( b_1 \), follow these steps:

1. Multiply both sides by 2 to eliminate the fraction:
\[
2A = (b_1 + b_2)h
\]

2. Divide both sides by \( h \):
\[
\frac{2A}{h} = b_1 + b_2
\]

3. Subtract \( b_2 \) from both sides to isolate \( b_1 \):
\[
b_1 = \frac{2A}{h} - b_2
\]

Thus, the rearranged equation for \( b_1 \) is:
\[
b_1 = \frac{2A}{h} - b_2
\]