To find the total surface area of a box (rectangular prism), you can use the formula:
\[ \text{Surface Area} = 2(lw + lh + wh) \]
where:
- \( l \) = length
- \( w \) = width
- \( h \) = height
For the given box:
- \( l = 3 \) feet
- \( w = 2 \) feet
- \( h = 4 \) feet
Now substitute the values into the formula:
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Calculate \( lw \): \[ lw = 3 \times 2 = 6 \]
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Calculate \( lh \): \[ lh = 3 \times 4 = 12 \]
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Calculate \( wh \): \[ wh = 2 \times 4 = 8 \]
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Now, add these values together: \[ lw + lh + wh = 6 + 12 + 8 = 26 \]
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Finally, multiply by 2 to get the total surface area: \[ \text{Surface Area} = 2 \times 26 = 52 \]
Therefore, the total surface area of the box is 52 square feet.