Surface area is calculated by finding the total area of all the sides (or faces) of an object and adding them together. It is measured in units squared. There are a few different ways to calculate the surface area of different types of prisms. For any prism, surface area can be calculated using the formula: Surface Area = 2 * (Area of Base) + Lateral Surface Area, where Lateral Surface Area is the perimeter of the base multiplied by the height of the prism. This formula and methods for calculating the surface area of rectangular prisms, cubes, triangular prisms, and cylinders are demonstrated. Surface area is important because it is used in many real-world applications like construction and packaging.

2. Surface Area
• What does it mean to you?
• Does it have anything to do with what is in
the inside of the prism.?
• Surface area is found by finding the area of
all the sides and then adding those answers
up.
• How will the answer be labeled?
• Units2 because it is area!

3. Rectangular Prism
How many faces are
on here? 6
Find the area of each of
the faces.
A
B
C
4
5
in
6
Do any of the faces
have the same area?
A = 5 x 4 = 20 x 2 =40
B = 6 x 5 = 30 x 2 = 60
C = 4 x 6 = 24 x 2 = 48
If so, which ones?
148 in2
Opposite faces are the same.
Find the SA

4. Cube
Are all the faces the same? YES
4m How many faces are
there? 6
Find the Surface area of
one of the faces.
A
4 x 4 = 16 Take that times the
number of faces.
X 6
96 m2
SA for a cube.

5. Triangular Prism
How many faces are
there? 5
How many of each shape does it
take to make this prism?
2 triangles and 3 rectangles = SA of a
triangular prism
4
3
5
10 m
Find the surface area. Start by
finding the area of the triangle.
4 x 3/2 = 6
How many triangles were
there? 2
x 2= 12
Find the area of the 3
rectangles.
5 x 10 = 50 = front
4 x 10 = 40 = back
3 x 10 = 30 = bottom
SA = 132 m2
What is the final SA?

6. SA
• You can find the SA of any prism by using
the basic formula for SA which is
• 2B + LSA= SA
• LSA= lateral Surface area
• LSA= perimeter of the base x height of the
prism
• B = the base of the prism.

7. Triangular Prisms
• Use the same triangular prism we used before.
Let’s us the formula this time. 2B + LSA=SA
• Find the area of the base, which is a triangle
because it is a triangular prism. You will need two
of them.
• Now, find the perimeter of that same base and
multiply it by how many layer of triangles are in
the picture. That is the LSA.
• Add that to the two bases. Now you should have
the same answer as before.
• Either way is the correct way.

8. Cylinders
6
10m
What does it take to make this?
2 circles and 1 rectangle= a cylinder
2 B 3.14 x 9 = 28.26 X 2 = 56.52
+ LSA(p x H) 3.14 x 6 =18.84 x 10 = 188.4
SA = 244.92
2B + LSA = SA

9. Why should you learn about surface area?
Is it something that you will ever use in
everyday life?
If so, who do you know that uses it?
Have you ever had to use it outside of
math?