What is the surface area, in square meters, of the pyramid?

10m 12m

1 answer

The formula to calculate the surface area of a pyramid is:

Surface Area = (Base Area) + 0.5 * (Perimeter of Base) * (Slant Height)

Given that the base of the pyramid has a length of 10m and a width of 12m, the base area is:
Base Area = 10m * 12m = 120 square meters

Since the pyramid is triangular, we need to calculate the slant height.
The slant height can be calculated using the Pythagorean theorem:
Slant Height = sqrt(10^2 + (12/2)^2)
Slant Height = sqrt(100 + 36) = sqrt(136) = 11.66m (approx)

The perimeter of the base is:
Perimeter = 2 * (10m + 12m) = 2 * 22m = 44m

Now, substitute the values into the formula:
Surface Area = 120 + 0.5 * 44m * 11.66m ≈ 365.2 square meters

Therefore, the surface area of the pyramid is approximately 365.2 square meters.