The lateral area of a figure is the area of the non-base faces only. When a prism has its bases facing up and down, the lateral area is the area of the vertical faces. The lateral area of a right prism can be calculated by multiplying the perimeter of the base by the height of the prism. This is summarized by the formula: LA 5 hP.
Lateral Area, use units squared (centimeters squared, inches squared, and so on).
The lateral area of a figure is the area of the non-base faces only. When a prism has its bases facing up and down, the lateral area is the area of the vertical faces. (For a rectangular prism, any pair of opposite faces can be bases.) The lateral area of a right prism can be calculated by multiplying the perimeter of the base by the height of the prism. This is summarized by the formula: LA 5 hP.
