Pyramids and Cones
By the conclusion of this topic, you will be able to determine the surface area, lateral area, and volume of a pyramid and a cone. Your knowledge of right triangles will help you find parts of the pyramid or cone in order to calculate the surface area, lateral area, or volume.
Essential Questions
- How can you find the surface area, lateral area and volume of a pyramid?
- How can you find the surface area, lateral area and volume of a cone?
Warm-Up

Before you explore pyramids and cones, see if you can use your prior knowledge to sketch these two figures. Can you sketch a cone? How about a pyramid? Can you determine what figures make up the pyramid and cone? Take a moment to sketch these two figures and name the figures that make up the cone and pyramid before you learn more about each of these figures.