A square pyramid has a slant height of 17 inches and a height of 15 inches. What is its surface area if the square base has sides of length 16 inches?

Question

anonymous · Answer

What do you mean by slant height?

anonymous · Answer

i have no idea,this is on my geometry homework

anonymous · Answer

736 is not an option though...

anonymous · Answer

I suggest going through your notes and figuring out what slant height is. Or searching on the internet somewhere. It's been my experience that trying to work out a maths problem when I don't know what the words mean is very hard!

anonymous · Answer

Can you give the options?

anonymous · Answer

What have you been learning so i know which method we are aiming for

anonymous · Answer

224 in2

 480 in2

 800 in2

 864 in2

anonymous · Answer

this is lateral and surface area.

anonymous · Answer

The formula you are looking for is 2bs+b^2

anonymous · Answer

2x16x17+16x16

anonymous · Answer

=800

anonymous · Answer

b=base s=slant

phi · Answer

Here is the formula http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_(geometry)#Surface_area

anonymous · Answer

Thank you guys.

anonymous · Answer

Phi that is a complex formula :P

phi · Answer

Find the area of the base (the bottom) which is a square 16*16
find the area of the sides.  this is Perimeter of the base/2  times slant height
Perimeter is 4 times the base side= 4*16= 64
64/2= 32
so 32*17 for the sides

phi · Answer

Take these things a little bit at a time.

anonymous · Answer

You must live a complicated life Phi :P

phi · Answer

No.  Just take small steps.  
Can you find the area of the base (you know it is a square) with a side= 16

phi · Answer

Can you find the perimeter of the base?  4* side = 4*16

anonymous · Answer

Phi who you teaching?

phi · Answer

The formula says Perimeter/2   so 64/2 = 32

*who ever is curious

anonymous · Answer

That must be i then, continue please :P

phi · Answer

Area = Base area + P*S/2
where we already figured out Base area= 256
P is perimeter , we got 4*16= 64
P/2 =32
S is given as 17

so
Area = 256 + 32*17 = 800

phi · Answer

It is no harder than following a recipe to cook a meal (actually easier, because you can't hurt yourself when dicing up the food)

anonymous · Answer

A question to your Highness, Isn't my formula less time consuming

phi · Answer

It looks fine.  The important thing is (1) remember it (2) be able to use it.

anonymous · Answer

AyeAye Capt'n, Interesting techniques yours. Reminds me of someone cant remember who ::P

anonymous · Answer

Thanks for the intriguing method, it is easier to understand if your not into geometry