Surface Area of a Rectangular Pyramid. The surface area of a regular square pyramid is the sum of area of the base and area of four isosceles triangles. But for rectangular pyramid, with rectangular base, we can not use the standard formula of surface area because there is more than one slant height ($s_1$ and $s_2$).
Step 1. Drink plenty of water with your meals and between meals. Water helps soften your stool. If you do not drink enough fluids, your body will pull water from the colon, hardening the stools. Also avoid caffeinated beverages, which cause your body to lose water.
Take an over-the-counter laxative or stool softener. A wide array of laxatives and other softeners are available to help soften stool. You can take a stool softener in capsule, tablet, liquid, or syrup form. Follow the instructions on the package to determine the correct dosage. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for recommendations as to what medication to take.