Use the image to answer the question.



An illustration shows a pyramid with a rectangular base. The length of the base is labeled 14 centimeters and the width as 12 centimeters. The perpendicular heights from the apex to the base length of 14 is 10 centimeters and to the base width of 12 is 10.6 centimeters. The perpendicular heights are denoted by two right angle symbols on two of the lateral faces from the apex to the base by dashed lines.

What is the surface area of the rectangular pyramid?

(1 point)
__cm2

1 answer

To find the surface area of a rectangular pyramid, we need to calculate the area of the base and the areas of the triangular lateral faces.

  1. Calculate the area of the base: The base is a rectangle, so the area \( A_{base} \) is given by: \[ A_{base} = \text{length} \times \text{width} = 14 , \text{cm} \times 12 , \text{cm} = 168 , \text{cm}^2 \]

  2. Calculate the area of the lateral triangular faces: There are four triangular faces. We will calculate the area of each triangle:

    • Area of the two triangular faces with base 14 cm: For these triangles, the height from the apex to the base of 14 cm is 10 cm. The area \( A_{triangle1} \) of one triangle is: \[ A_{triangle1} = \frac{1}{2} \times \text{base} \times \text{height} = \frac{1}{2} \times 14 , \text{cm} \times 10 , \text{cm} = 70 , \text{cm}^2 \] Since there are two such triangles, their total area will be: \[ A_{triangles1} = 2 \times A_{triangle1} = 2 \times 70 , \text{cm}^2 = 140 , \text{cm}^2 \]

    • Area of the two triangular faces with base 12 cm: For these triangles, the height from the apex to the base of 12 cm is 10.6 cm. The area \( A_{triangle2} \) of one triangle is: \[ A_{triangle2} = \frac{1}{2} \times \text{base} \times \text{height} = \frac{1}{2} \times 12 , \text{cm} \times 10.6 , \text{cm} = \frac{1}{2} \times 12 \times 10.6 = 63.6 , \text{cm}^2 \] Since there are two such triangles, their total area will be: \[ A_{triangles2} = 2 \times A_{triangle2} = 2 \times 63.6 , \text{cm}^2 = 127.2 , \text{cm}^2 \]

  3. Calculate the total surface area: To find the total surface area \( A_{total} \), we add the area of the base to the total area of the lateral faces: \[ A_{total} = A_{base} + A_{triangles1} + A_{triangles2} = 168 , \text{cm}^2 + 140 , \text{cm}^2 + 127.2 , \text{cm}^2 \] \[ A_{total} = 168 , \text{cm}^2 + 140 , \text{cm}^2 + 127.2 , \text{cm}^2 = 435.2 , \text{cm}^2 \]

Therefore, the surface area of the rectangular pyramid is 435.2 cm².