A trapezoid is a quadrilateral (4 sided figure) but not a parallelogram. A trapezoid is a quadrilateral with exactly one pair of parallel sides. The parallel sides are called the bases. The other sides are legs. A trapezoid with congruent legs is called an isosceles trapezoid. The median of a trapezoid is the segment that joins the midpoints of the legs. Note the difference below in the difference between a median of a trapezoid and the median of a triangle.
The following are a couple of theorems about trapezoids followed by a couple of pictures of what a trapezoid might look like:
- Base angles of an isosceles trapezoid are congruent.
- The median of a trapezoid is parallel to the bases.
- The median of a trapezoid has a length equal to the average of the base lengths.
Couple Examples of Trapezoids
Mr. Bedard's Geometry Unit 