Question

what is the surface area of a rectangular prism that has 8cm, 3cm, and 4cm

Answer 1

To find the surface area of a rectangular prism, you can use the formula:

\[
\text{Surface Area} = 2(lw + lh + wh)
\]

where \( l \) is the length, \( w \) is the width, and \( h \) is the height of the prism.

For the given dimensions:
- \( l = 8 \, \text{cm} \)
- \( w = 3 \, \text{cm} \)
- \( h = 4 \, \text{cm} \)

Now, plug these values into the formula:

1. Calculate \( lw \):
\[
lw = 8 \, \text{cm} \times 3 \, \text{cm} = 24 \, \text{cm}^2
\]

2. Calculate \( lh \):
\[
lh = 8 \, \text{cm} \times 4 \, \text{cm} = 32 \, \text{cm}^2
\]

3. Calculate \( wh \):
\[
wh = 3 \, \text{cm} \times 4 \, \text{cm} = 12 \, \text{cm}^2
\]

4. Now sum these areas:
\[
lw + lh + wh = 24 \, \text{cm}^2 + 32 \, \text{cm}^2 + 12 \, \text{cm}^2 = 68 \, \text{cm}^2
\]

5. Finally, multiply by 2 to get the surface area:
\[
\text{Surface Area} = 2 \times 68 \, \text{cm}^2 = 136 \, \text{cm}^2
\]

So, the surface area of the rectangular prism is **136 cm²**.