The area of a trapezoid could be determined using

The height of the trapezoid is unkown. Therefore we should determine the height first using pythagorean theorem. Look into the triangle formed on the trapezoid. The base of the triangle is 16 units. See image attached.
The height of the triangle is the same as the height of the trapezoid.
In pythagorean theorem, if you add up the square of the perpendicular lines, it results the square of the hypotenuse.
h² + 16² = (4√41)²
h² + 256 = (4²)(√41)²
h² + 256 = 16 × 41
h² + 256 = 656
h² = 656 - 256
h² = 400
h = √400
h = 20
The height of the triangle is 20 units, therefore the height of the trapezoid is also 20 units.
Find the area of the trapezoid.



a = 24 × 20
a = 480
The area of the trapezoid is 480 units²