To find the total surface area of the moving box, we can use the formula for the surface area of a rectangular prism:
\[ \text{Surface Area} = 2(lw + lh + wh) \]
where \( l \) is the length, \( w \) is the width, and \( h \) is the height of the box.
Given:
- Length \( l = 3 \) feet
- Width \( w = 2 \) feet
- Height \( h = 4 \) feet
Now, we can calculate each of the products:
- \( lw = 3 \times 2 = 6 \)
- \( lh = 3 \times 4 = 12 \)
- \( wh = 2 \times 4 = 8 \)
Now, we add these together:
\[ lw + lh + wh = 6 + 12 + 8 = 26 \]
Now we multiply by 2:
\[ \text{Surface Area} = 2 \times 26 = 52 \text{ square feet} \]
Thus, the total surface area of the box is 52 square feet.