Question

Find the lateral area for the regular pyramid.

https://media.aop.com/curric/ow-sets/curriculum2014/g_geo_2014/8/groupi74.gif

Answer 1

do you know how to get the area of a triangle?

Answer 2

1/2 base times height, yes

Answer 3

right... so.. one sec

Answer 4

notice the picture
you have a triangle that looks like

Answer 5

Okay?

Answer 6

so... using if you see the atached picture

you have that triangle, going to the center of the pyramid
tis a right triangle, thus you could use the pythagorean theorem to find the "hypotenuse"

once you find that, notice the pyramid, THAT "hypotenuse" length, is really the altitude of height of the triangular face

so to get the "lateral" area, get the hypotenuse, so you can get the area of the "triangular face"

you have 4 triangular faces, then add them up, and that's the "lateral area" of the pyramid