Slant Height

Topic

3D Geometry

Definition

Slant height is the distance from the top of a cone or pyramid to the edge of its base, measured along its side.

Description

The slant height is a crucial measurement in the study of cones and pyramids, as it helps in calculating the surface area of these shapes. It represents the hypotenuse of the right triangle formed by the height and radius of the base in a cone, or by the height and half the base length in a pyramid. Understanding slant height is important in fields like architecture and engineering, where precise measurements are needed for constructing conical and pyramidal structures. In math education, slant height helps students understand the properties of three-dimensional shapes and their applications. For example, the slant height is used in the formula for the lateral surface area of a cone, 

A = πrl

where r is the radius and l is the slant height.

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