What are the steps to solving this problem: A trapezoid will be enlarged by a factor of 4. If the original area of the trapezoid if 20ft^2, which will be its new area?

Question

anonymous · Answer

How will it be enlarged?

anonymous · Answer

By the base or by the area?

anonymous · Answer

well I think by the base

anonymous · Answer

In either case I suppose the answer is just $20ft^2\times 4$

anonymous · Answer

but how did you came up with that answer

anonymous · Answer

do I have to multiply by 4

anonymous · Answer

what if I wanted to enlarge it by the area instead?

yttrium · Answer

What do you mean?

anonymous · Answer

well I just don't get how  he got the answer and they told me it was 320ft^2 but how do I solve it?

yttrium · Answer

If you are going to enlarge the trapezoid, measure of each part of it must be added by four right? And it is the fact the the area will increase by 16 when you do the enlarging by four that's why we arrive at an answer of 320 sq ft.

anonymous · Answer

oh! now I get it! wow is not that hard thank you!! :)

yttrium · Answer

:)