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Isosceles trapezoid ABCD at the right has bases |AB|=2x+1cm and |DC|=3x+2cm, median |EF|=2x+4cm,leg |BF|=5cm, and altitude |BG|=y. Find the length of its median bar (EF)

A. 7cm
B. 14cm
C. 17cm
D. 23

1 Answer

7 votes

Final answer:

The length of the median |EF| of the isosceles trapezoid ABCD is determined to be 14cm after calculating the average of the two base lengths and solving for x.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the length of the median |EF| of the isosceles trapezoid ABCD, we need to understand that the median of a trapezoid is parallel to the bases and its length is the average of the lengths of the two bases. The median |EF|, therefore, is given by:

(|AB| + |DC|) / 2

We are given |AB| = 2x + 1cm and |DC| = 3x + 2cm. So:

(2x + 1 + 3x + 2) / 2

This simplifies to:

(5x + 3) / 2

Since we know |EF| = 2x + 4cm, we can set up the equation:

(5x + 3) / 2 = 2x + 4

Solving for x gives:

5x + 3 = 4x + 8

x = 5

Substituting x back into the expression for |EF|:

|EF| = 2(5) + 4 = 14cm

Therefore, the correct answer for the length of median |EF| is 14cm, which corresponds to option B.

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