Right Square Pyramid Calculator

Calculate area (A), lateral area (A_l), volume (V), and face area (A_f) of a right square pyramid

Enter Pyramid Dimensions

Enter any two dimensions to calculate all pyramid properties

Side length of the square base

Vertical height from base to apex

Height of triangular face from base to apex

Edge from base corner to apex

Diagonal of the square base (diagonal = a√2)

Calculated Dimensions

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Base Edge (a)
0.000
Height (H)
0.000
Slant Height (s)
0.000
Lateral Edge (d)
0.000
Base Diagonal

Area and Volume Results

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Lateral Face Area (A_f)
Area of one triangular face
0.00
Total Lateral Area (A_l)
Area of all four triangular faces
0.00
Base Area (A_b)
Area of square base
0.00
Total Surface Area (A)
A_l + A_b
0.00
Volume (V)
Cubic units

Example Calculation

Square Pyramid with Base Edge = 6 units, Height = 4 units

Given: Base edge (a) = 6 units, Height (H) = 4 units

Step 1: Calculate slant height: s = √(H² + (a/2)²) = √(4² + 3²) = √25 = 5 units

Step 2: Calculate base area: A_b = a² = 6² = 36 sq units

Step 3: Calculate lateral face area: A_f = (a × s)/2 = (6 × 5)/2 = 15 sq units

Step 4: Calculate total lateral area: A_l = 4 × A_f = 4 × 15 = 60 sq units

Step 5: Calculate total surface area: A = A_l + A_b = 60 + 36 = 96 sq units

Step 6: Calculate volume: V = (A_b × H)/3 = (36 × 4)/3 = 48 cubic units

Right Square Pyramid Properties

Square base with four triangular faces

Apex directly above the center of the base

All lateral faces are congruent isosceles triangles

Base has 4 right angles (90°)

All other angles are acute

Key Formulas

Slant Height

s = √(H² + (a/2)²)

Lateral Face Area

A_f = (a × s) / 2

Total Lateral Area

A_l = 4 × A_f = 2 × a × s

Volume

V = (a² × H) / 3

Quick Facts

Great Pyramids of Giza are examples

Base diagonal = a√2

Lateral edge: d = √(H² + a²/2)

Total surface area = A_l + A_b

Understanding Right Square Pyramids

What is a Right Square Pyramid?

A right square pyramid is a three-dimensional geometric shape with a square base and four triangular faces that meet at a single point (apex) directly above the center of the base. The term "right" indicates that the apex is positioned directly over the center of the base, forming a right angle with the base.

Key Components

  • Base Edge (a): Side length of the square base
  • Height (H): Perpendicular distance from base to apex
  • Slant Height (s): Distance from base edge midpoint to apex
  • Lateral Edge (d): Distance from base corner to apex

Area Calculations

Lateral Face Area (A_f)

A_f = (a × s) / 2

Area of one triangular face

Total Lateral Area (A_l)

A_l = 4 × A_f = 2 × a × s

Sum of all four triangular face areas

Total Surface Area (A)

A = A_l + A_b = 2as + a²

Lateral area plus base area

Volume (V)

V = (a² × H) / 3

Base area times height divided by 3