Question

A pyramid has a square base with sides 8" and a slant height of 5".
Total Area =?

Answer 1

I think you are going to want to do 1/3(64)(5)=v

Answer 2

I interpreted the slant height as follows:

with this we get:\[\begin{align}
A_{base}&=8*8=64 in^2\\
A_{side-face}&=\frac{1}{2}*8*5=20in^2\\
\therefore A_{total}&=A_{base}+4*A_{side-face}\\
&=64+4*20\\
&=64+80\\
&=144in^2
\end{align}\]
However, if the slant height is as interpreted by @Mertsj then his answer is correct.