Trapezoid Perimeter Calculator

A trapezoid is a quadrangular shape, part of a broad family of convex quadrilaterals: use our trapezoid perimeter calculator to find its perimeter using any possible combinations of parameters!

A trapezoid is a quadrilateral convex shape:

• Quadrilateral means that it has four sides (and four angles); and

• Convex means that it contains every segment with initial and final points inside the shape.

  Trapezoids have at least a pair of parallel sides. The other sides can be either perpendicular or tilted with respect to the bases.

A characteristic set of elements identifies a trapezoid. Starting from the sides, we have:

• Two bases: the parallel sides;
• Two legs: the oblique sides;

It is possible to identify four angles. The total sum is always $360\ \degree$, which is equally divided between angles associated to the same side (complementary angles), which sum to $180\ \degree$.

It is important to identify one last element, the height of the trapezoid, the distance between the bases. It will be helpful in the calculations for the perimeter.

The formula of a trapezoid's perimeter is extremely simple:

where:

• $P$ is the perimeter;
• $a$ and $b$ the parallel sides (bases); and
• $c$ and $d$ the oblique sides.

But rarely, you will have all the sides. You may have combinations of sides and angles, and sometimes the situation may also look pretty dire until trigonometry comes to our help. Let's check the possible combinations you may find!

Two sides, an angle, and a base

With this combination you can find easily the height $h$ of the trapezoid with the formulas:

or

Once you know the value of $h$, you can compute the value of the other angle, and then the projection of the sides on the base $a$, which summed equal the difference of the bases:

Rearranging this formula gives you the missing base!

Two sides, a base, and the height

With this combination, we can first find the values of the projections of the sides on the base $a$ using the reliable Pythagorean theorem. Once you find them, you can either:

• Add them to the base $b$ to find the base $a$;
• Subtract them from the base $a$ to find the base $b$.

You have all the elements to feed into the trapezoid perimeter formula now!

Two angles associated to opposite sides, the height and a base

This case is similar to the previous one; knowing the height and the angles (remember that they satisfy the identities $\alpha+\beta=180\ \degree$ and $\gamma+\delta=180\ \degree$), you can find the sides first and then the projections on the base $a$. From there, you can find the value of the other base.

The two bases, a side, and the relative angle

This combination is our favorite! By subtracting the two bases and the projection of the side on $a$, we can find the other projection. From here, with the height calculated from the side and angle, we can find the other side.

Using our trapezoid perimeter calculator is straightforward! If you have the values of each side of the polygon, insert them in the respective field, and you'll get the value of the perimeter.

If you don't have the sides but some other combination of sides, angles, or height, expand the height and angles section, you will then see all of the other variables. Choose the ones you need and insert your values there!

Apart from the trapezoid perimeter calculator, we have many more calculators that will help you with your geometrical problems (only those, though!) try our:

• Trapezoid calculator;
• Area of a trapezoid calculator;
• Trapezoid side calculator;
• Trapezoid angle calculator;
• Trapezoid height calculator;
• Midsegment of a trapezoid;
• Isosceles trapezoid calculator;
• Isosceles trapezoid area calculator;
• Right trapezoid calculator;
• Right trapezoid area calculator; and
• Area of an irregular trapezoid calculator.