Answer:
To find the area of the isosceles trapezoid, we can use the formula:
Area = ((upper base + lower base) / 2) x height
First, we need to find the height of the trapezoid. We can use the Pythagorean theorem to find the height, since the legs of the trapezoid form a right triangle with the height as the hypotenuse.
Using the Pythagorean theorem:
height^2 = leg^2 - ((lower base - upper base) / 2)^2
= 5^2 - ((16 - 8) / 2)^2
= 25 - 4^2
= 9
height = 3 cm
Now that we have the height, we can use the area formula:
Area = ((8 + 16) / 2) x 3
= 12 x 3
= 36 cm^2
Therefore, the area of the isosceles trapezoid is 36 square centimeters.