Expert: Chanda Walker - 3/5/2009

Question
hi could you tell me how to work out a area ie a floor that is 4 metres by 5 metres by 3 metres by 5 metres thanks
andy

Answer
Sorry about sending two answers.  I thought it this was a follow up remark  initially but now I see that it is not.

A floor that is 4x5x3x5 is not a rectangular floor.

A floor that is 4x5 is simply 4*5 = 20 metres squared.

A non-rectangular floor with dimensions of 4x5x3x5, depending on its shape, will have a smaller area.  If we assume all sides are straight and the shape is a trapezoid in nature, the area is:

20 metres squared minus the missing area.

The missing area is a triangle whose area is:

1/2 * (1m)*(5m) = 5/2 metres squared

So the area of a trapezoid with your dimensions is:

(20 - 5/2) = 17.5 metres squared

If the shape of the floor is not a trapezoid, please give me more details and I'll be happy to calculate it for you.