How do you find the slant height of a pyramid with a rectangular base?

Answer:
If you make a line from the top of the pyramid to the center of the base, you have the height of the pyramid. This meets at the midsegment of a line going across the base. Since the height of a pyramid is perpendicular with the base, get this:
the height, a line of 1/2 the length of the base, and the slant height form a right triangle.

So, you can use the Pythagorean Theorem!

For example, if the base length is 6 and the height of the pyramid is 4, then you can plug them into the Pythagorean Theorem (a squared + b squared = c squared, a and b being the legs of a right triangle and c being the hypotenuse). 1/2 the length of the base would be 6 divided by 2=3. 3 squared + 4 squared = slant height squared. 9+16=slant height squared. 25= slant height squared. Slant height=5 units.

You're welcome!

First answer by Noahmf95. Last edit by Noahmf95. Contributor trust: 9 [recommend contributor recommended]. Question popularity: 2 [recommend question].