Question

find the lateral area of the prism. the base is a square. 20 ft. 16 ft. 16 ft. square feet

Explanation:

Step1: Recall lateral area formula for prism

The lateral area \( LA \) of a prism is given by the perimeter of the base \( P \) multiplied by the height \( h \) of the prism, i.e., \( LA = P \times h \).

Step2: Find the perimeter of the square base

The base is a square with side length \( s = 16 \) ft. The perimeter of a square is \( P = 4s \). So, \( P = 4 \times 16 = 64 \) ft.

Step3: Identify the height of the prism

The height \( h \) of the prism (the distance between the two bases) is given as \( 20 \) ft.

Step4: Calculate the lateral area

Using the formula \( LA = P \times h \), substitute \( P = 64 \) ft and \( h = 20 \) ft. So, \( LA = 64 \times 20 = 1280 \) square feet.

Answer:

1280