MSTAR Practice Worksheet

Lesson 5-8: Determine Surface Area of Pyramids

Grade 6 Mathematics · Standard 6.GR.4

Name: Date:

These are MSTAR-style questions written for this curriculum to rehearse the format. They are not official Maryland assessment items. MSTAR — Maryland's new state test, first given in spring 2027 — uses the same kinds of questions you see here: selected response, select-all, two-part evidence questions, and written responses.

Part A — Skills Check

Warm up with the lesson's core skills — one best answer each.

Question 1Selected response · 1 point

A square pyramid has a base edge of 5 in and a slant height of 7 in. What is the surface area?

A70 in²
B95 in²
C95 in³
D120 in²

Question 2Selected response · 1 point

How many lateral (triangular) faces does a square pyramid have?

Question 3Selected response · 1 point

What is the area of one triangular face with base 8 in and slant height 6 in?

A14 in²
B24 in²
C24 in³
D48 in²

Question 4Selected response · 1 point

A square pyramid has a base area of 49 cm² and a total lateral area of 84 cm². What is the surface area?

A49 cm²
B84 cm²
C133 cm²
D133 cm³

Question 5Selected response · 1 point

Your first gift box is a square pyramid with a base edge of 7 in and a slant height of 9 in. How much wrapping paper (total surface area) covers it?

A126 in²
B144 in²
C175 in²
D175 in³

Question 6Selected response · 1 point

Before adding the base, you need the area of just one triangular face of a gift box with base edge 8 in and slant height 5 in. What is it?

A13 in²
B20 in²
C20 in³
D40 in²

Part B — Test-Format Questions

These match the state test's formats: two-part questions, select-all, and written responses.

Question 7Two-part question

Part A

A square pyramid has a base measuring 6 m by 6 m and four triangular faces, each with a base of 6 m and a slant height of 5 m. What is its surface area?

Fill in the bubble next to the one best answer.

A36 square meters
B60 square meters
C96 square meters
D156 square meters

Part B

Answer Part A before Part B — Part B asks about your reasoning.

Why does a pyramid's surface area use the slant height rather than the vertical height?

AThe slant height is the height of each triangular face, measured along the face itself.
BThe vertical height is always longer than the slant height.
CThe slant height is easier to measure.
DPyramids do not have a vertical height.

Question 8Select all that apply

Select ALL statements that are true about the surface area of a pyramid:

Mark the box next to EVERY answer that is true. More than one is correct.

ASurface area = base area + the areas of all lateral faces.
BA square pyramid has 4 triangular lateral faces.
CEach lateral face area is ½ × base of the triangle × slant height.
DThe vertical height is used to find each triangular face area.
EA pyramid's net shows the base and every lateral face laid flat.

Part C — Show Your Thinking

Answer in writing, the way the state test's constructed responses work.

Question 9Written response · 2 points

Two pyramids have the same base area (64 in²) but different slant heights. Pyramid A has slant height 6 in and Pyramid B has slant height 10 in. How much more surface area does Pyramid B have? Why does slant height affect surface area but NOT base area?

Write your answer in complete sentences. Show or explain your mathematical thinking.