Setting Out To Trap A Zoid

I was ready to go with a little essay about how I ultimately figured out the area of a trapezoid, based on the formula for the area of triangles, when I realized that it was much easier to show this with a diagram. And I had a diagram drawn out pretty well, at least to the limits of my drawing ability and my power to use Photoshop Elements to do the drawing. But then it struck me that there’s a peril in using a diagram when you want to prove anything, and the nature of those perils deserved some attention.