The contiguous United States or officially the conterminous United States consists of the 48 adjoining U.S. states (plus Washington, D.C.) on the continent of North America. The terms exclude the non-contiguous states of Alaska and Hawaii, and all off-shore insular areas, These differ from the related term continental United States which includes Alaska (also on the North American continent but separated from the 48 states by British Columbia, Canada) but excludes Hawaii and insular territories.
Answer this question, making sure that the answer is supported by the text: is alaska a part of the continental united states?

Possible answers:
[a]. no.
[b]. yes.
[a].