GCSE Maths Practice: surface-area

Question 8 of 10

This question clarifies the definition of the slant height of a cone.

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\( \begin{array}{l}\text{Which best describes the slant height of a cone?}\\\text{Consider the diagonal distance along the side.}\end{array} \)

Choose one option:

\( \text{The distance from the apex to a point on the circular base} \) \( \text{The height measured vertically from the apex to the center} \) \( \text{The radius of the base} \) \( \text{The circumference divided by } \pi \)

Use slant height (diagonal), not vertical height, when computing lateral area.

The slant height of a cone is the straight-line distance along the cone's side from the apex to any point on the circular base edge. It differs from the vertical height (from apex to center of base). This distinction is important when calculating curved surface area (π r l), as l = slant height. Practice visualizing cones and their slant heights, as many surface area problems depend on this measurement. Real-world examples include traffic cones, ice-cream cones, and conical roofs.