Answer:
208 feet^2
Explanation:
This figure has four triangular sides and a square bottom. Given that the length of one side of the square base is 8 feet and the slant height 9 feet, we apply the area-of-a-triangle formula A = (1/2)(base)(height) to find the area of one side: A = (1/2)(8 feet)(9 feet) = 36 feet^2.
Since there are four sides, we multiply this result by 4, obtaining the total surface area of the sides: 144 feet^2.
Finally, we calculate and add the area of the base, which is (8 feet)^2, or 64 feet^2.
The total surface area of this square pyramid is thus 144 feet^2 + 64 feet^2, or 208 feet^2.