IXL | Surface area of prisms and pyramids

A rectangular pyramid is shown below.

Which diagram is a net for this pyramid?

What is the surface area of the rectangular pyramid?

square centimeters

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Learn with an example

question

A triangular prism is shown below.

Which diagram is a net for this prism?

What is the surface area of the triangular prism?

square centimeters

key idea

A net shows all the faces of a three-dimensional figure.

A triangular prism has two triangular bases and three rectangular lateral faces. Its surface area is the sum of the areas of all five faces.

solution

Five faces make up the triangular prism:

two triangular bases, each with a base of 30 centimeters and a height of 20 centimeters
two rectangular lateral faces with a length of 25 centimeters and a width of 7 centimeters
one rectangular lateral face with a length of 30 centimeters and a width of 7 centimeters

This is a net for the prism. It shows all of the faces and, when folded up, will form the prism.

To find the surface area of the prism, add up the areas of all five faces.

There are two triangular bases, each with a base of 30 centimeters and a height of 20 centimeters. Find the area of one of them.

(

)

(

)

(

600

)

300

square centimeters

There are two rectangular faces with a length of 25 centimeters and a width of 7 centimeters. Find the area of one of them.

(

)

175

square centimeters

There is one rectangular face with a length of 30 centimeters and a width of 7 centimeters. Find its area.

(

)

210

square centimeters

Finally, find the sum of the areas of the two triangular bases and the three rectangular lateral faces.

(

300

)

(

175

)

210

600

350

210

1,160

The surface area of the triangular prism is 1,160 square

centimeters.

Looking for more? Try these:

Lesson: Surface area formulas

Lesson: What is surface area?

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Work it out

Not feeling ready yet? These can help:

HH.4Surface area of cubes and rectangular prisms

HH.6Surface area of triangular prisms

HH.7Surface area of pyramids

Lesson: Surface area formulas

Lesson: What is surface area?

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