A square pyramid has side lengths each measuring 8 centimeters. The height of the pyramid is 3 centimeters.What is the lateral area of the pyramid?

Each triangular face has a base of 8 cm. Its slant height is 5 cm: the pyramid’s 3 cm vertical height and half the base side, 4 cm, form a right triangle, so √(3² + 4²) = 5. The lateral area is 4 × (½ × 8 × 5) = 80 square centimeters, so the correct choice is 80 square centimeters.

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