What is wrong in this calculation of the surface area? SA=(wl + lh + hw)

Question

(1 point)
Responses

The contents of the parentheses need to be squared.
The contents of the parentheses need to be squared. - no response given

The order of the multiplication is wrong.
The order of the multiplication is wrong. - no response given

The formula is correct.
The formula is correct. - incorrect

The contents of the parentheses must be multiplied by 2.

Answer 1

The correct response regarding the calculation of the surface area is:

The contents of the parentheses must be multiplied by 2.

The formula you've presented, \(SA = (wl + lh + hw)\), is not the correct formula for the surface area of a rectangular prism (cuboid). The correct formula is:

\[ SA = 2(wl + lh + hw) \]

This accounts for all six faces of the prism. Therefore, the statement that the contents of the parentheses need to be multiplied by 2 is the right assessment of what is wrong in your calculation.