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LATERAL SURFACE AREA

Lateral Surface Area

Definition Of Lateral Surface Area

Lateral surface area in a solid is the sum of the surface areas of all its faces excluding the base of the solid.

More About Lateral Surface Area

Lateral surface area of a cube = 4b2, where b is the base of a cube
Lateral surface area of a sphere is 4πr2, where r is the radius of the sphere.
Lateral surface area of a cone = π × r × l, where r and l are the radius and slant height of the cone
Lateral surface area of a cylinder = 2πrh, where r is the radius and h is the height of the cylinder
Lateral surface area of the right triangular pyramid = 3 × area of lateral faces
Lateral surface area of a pentagonal prism = 5 × area of each rectangle

Example of Lateral Surface Area

 

 example of  Lateral Surface Area

Let's find out the lateral surface of a cone that has a base radius (r) of length 6 yd and a height (h) of 8 yd.
Lateral surface area of the cone = πrl
Slant height of the cone, l = example of  Lateral Surface Area  [l = example of  Lateral Surface Area .]
= 10 yd
Lateral surface area = 3.14 × 6 × 10 [As r = 6 and h = 10]
= 188.4 
So, the lateral surface area of the cone = 188.4 sq yd.

Video Examples: Lateral and Surface Areas of Prisms


 

Solved Example on Lateral Surface Area

Ques: Find the lateral surface area of a pentagonal prism, if a = 5 cm and b = 14 cm. 

 

 example of  Lateral Surface Area

Choices:

A. 330 cm2
B. 95 cm2
C. 350 cm2
D. 370 cm2

Correct Answer: C

Solution:

Step 1: In the given figure, the base of the prism is a regular pentagon.
Step 2: All five rectangles are congruent.
Step 3: Lateral surface area of the prism = 5 × area of each rectangle
Step 4: = 5 × 5 × 14 [Substitute the values.]
Step 5: = 350 [Simplify.]
Step 6: Lateral surface area of the pentagonal prism = 350 CM2.

Quick Summary

  • Lateral surface area excludes the base(s).
  • Different formulas apply for different shapes (cube, sphere, cone, cylinder, prism, pyramid).
  • Units are in square units (e.g., sq yd, cm²).
\[ LSA = \sum Area_{lateral\_faces} \]

🍎 Teacher Insights

Use physical models of the shapes to help students visualize the lateral faces. Emphasize the difference between lateral and total surface area. Provide plenty of practice problems.

🎓 Prerequisites

  • Area of basic shapes (squares, rectangles, triangles, circles)
  • Volume
  • Pythagorean theorem

Check Your Knowledge

Q1: What is the lateral surface area of a cube with a base of 5 cm?

Q2: The lateral surface area of a cylinder is 2πrh. If r = 3 and h = 4, what is the LSA?

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the difference between lateral surface area and total surface area?
A: Lateral surface area excludes the area of the base(s), while total surface area includes it.

Q: How do I find the lateral surface area of a composite figure?
A: Break the figure down into simpler shapes, find the lateral surface area of each shape, and add them together, excluding any shared base areas.

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