What does the lateral area (LA) of a prism represent?

The lateral area (LA) of a prism is calculated by using the formula that involves the perimeter of the base multiplied by the height of the prism. This represents the area of the curved or flat surfaces that connect the two bases of the prism, excluding the area of the bases themselves.

In practical terms, by taking the perimeter of the base and multiplying it by the height, you are effectively determining how much surface area exists on the sides of the prism. This makes sense, as the lateral faces of the prism are vertical rectangles (or parallelograms in the case of an oblique prism) that have a height equal to the height of the prism and a width equal to the sides of the base.

Other considered options do not accurately define the lateral area. The area of the base times height refers to the volume of the prism, while the base plus top area would account for both bases and would not describe the lateral area. The sum of all side areas inaccurately describes the lateral area since it fails to specify that it only includes the areas of the side faces formed by the height of the prism. Thus, the correct interpretation of lateral area specifically denotes the perimeter of the base multiplied by height.