Area of parallelograms and trapezoids worksheet
Forty questions on the area of parallelograms and trapezoids: pictures with base, height and a slanted side, missing lengths, quick areas and word problems.
Download the free area of parallelograms and trapezoids worksheet (PDF)
Area of parallelograms and trapezoids worksheet
What’s on the worksheet
- 40 questions on area of parallelograms and trapezoids, sized for US Letter paper
- 2 pages of questions plus an answer key on the last page
- Written for grade 6, matching Common Core 6.G.A.1
- Name and date lines at the top, and room to show the work
Sample questions from this worksheet
- Find the area of the parallelogram (base, slanted side and height shown).
- Find the area of the trapezoid.
- Parallelogram: area 48 cm², base 8 cm. Height?
- Trapezoid: parallel sides 5 cm and 9 cm, area 42 cm². Height?
- Trapezoid: sides 6 and 12, height 4
- A trapezoid field has parallel sides of 40 m and 60 m, 30 m apart. Its area?
Preview the worksheet and answer key
Practice area of parallelograms and trapezoids online
Between worksheets, a few minutes of online practice keeps the skill fresh. The area practice draws parallelograms, trapezoids and triangles with a base, a height and a slanted side, so your child learns to pick the height. The area and perimeter calculator checks answers and shows each step.
Area of parallelograms and trapezoids: a worked example (A trapezoid with parallel sides 6 cm and 10 cm and a height of 4 cm)
- Add the parallel sides: 6 + 10 = 16 cm.
- Halve the total: 16 ÷ 2 = 8 cm.
- Multiply by the height: 8 × 4 = 32.
- The area is 32 cm².
How to use it at home and in class
At home
Before your child starts, ask them to trace the height with a finger on each picture: the dashed line at a right angle to the base. Cut a paper parallelogram and move the triangle from one end to the other to make a rectangle. That shows why base × height works. The parallelograms and trapezoids lesson shows both cut-and-move tricks. Ten problems a day works better than a whole sheet at once. Mark them together with the answer key, then ask your child to explain one they got wrong: finding the mistake themselves is where the learning happens.
In class
Use the first row as a warm-up, a full page for independent practice, or five questions as an exit ticket. For a retake or a second group, make a new version with the test maker so every child gets different numbers.
Mistakes to watch for
- Multiplying by the slanted side instead of the height.
- Forgetting to halve for a trapezoid.
- Adding only one parallel side in a trapezoid.
- In Part C, multiplying when the question needs a division.
What to practice before and after area of parallelograms and trapezoids
- Before: area of triangles. If this sheet is a struggle, go back a step.
- After: volume of rectangular prisms, once this one is mostly right.
- Learn it first: the area of parallelograms and trapezoids lesson and the perimeter and area chart.
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Questions parents ask
What is the formula for the area of a trapezoid?
Add the two parallel sides, divide by 2, then multiply by the height: (a + b) ÷ 2 × h.
What grade is this area of parallelograms and trapezoids worksheet for?
It is written for grade 6 and matches Common Core standard 6.G.A.1.
Is there an answer key for this area of parallelograms and trapezoids worksheet?
Yes. The last page of the PDF has every answer, so you can mark the sheet in a few minutes and talk through any mistakes together.