Answer:
Sinclair applied a dimensional change to a trapezoid with a height of 5 and base lengths 3 and 7 to determine the effect a proportional change has on the area. His work is shown below.
1. Original: A =
1
2
(3+7)(5) = 25 ft2
2. New: A =
1
2
( 1 +
7
3
) (
5
3
) =
25
9
ft2
3. Compare volumes:
25
9
25
=
25
9
(
1
25
) =
1
9
Use Sinclair’s work to answer the questions and complete the statements.
How did Sinclair come up with the dimensions 1,
7
3
, and
5
3
in step 2?
He multiplied the original dimensions by a scale factor of
✔ 1/3
.
What can Sinclair conclude about the effect on the trapezoid’s area from his comparison?
The changes created an area
✔ 1/9
times the original area.
Explanation: