NAME:
Geometry and Spatial Reasoning; Measurement
Set 1: Netting Lateral and Surface Area
Station 2
At this station, you will find a wooden pyramid, a ruler, graph paper, and a calculator. Work as a
group to answer the questions.
1. What shape is the base of the pyramid? __________________
2. What is the area of the base of the pyramid? Explain which formula you used to calculate this area.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
3. Find the midpoint, or middle, of one of the sides. Then measure the distance from this
midpoint to the top vertex (corner) of the pyramid.
What is the measure of this distance? __________________
Is this the height of the pyramid or the slant height? Explain your reasoning.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
4. A net is a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional object. Nets can be folded to
create a three-dimensional object. Use the measurements from problems 2 and 3 to draw an
accurate net of the pyramid on graph paper. Be sure to label the measurements as well as the
base and each triangular face.
5. How many right triangles can each triangular face of the pyramid be split into?
__________________
What is the area of each right triangle? Show your work in the space below.
continued
42
Mathematics Station Activities for Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), Grade 8
© 2011 Walch Education
NAME:
Geometry and Spatial Reasoning; Measurement
Set 1: Netting Lateral and Surface Area
6. What is the area of each triangular face of the pyramid? __________________
7. Lateral area is the area of the vertical faces of an object. How can you use your answers in
problems 1–6 to find the lateral area of the square pyramid?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
8. What is the general formula for the lateral area of a square pyramid?
_____________________________________________________________________
9. Surface area is the area of all faces of an object. How can you use your answers in problems 1–6
to find the surface area of the square pyramid?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
10. What is the general formula for the surface area of a square pyramid?
_____________________________________________________________________
43
© 2011 Walch Education
Mathematics Station Activities for Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), Grade 8