To calculate the surface area of a rectangular prism, you can use the formula:
\[ \text{Surface Area} = 2lw + 2lh + 2wh \]
where:
- \( l \) is the length,
- \( w \) is the width, and
- \( h \) is the height.
In this case, the dimensions are:
- Length (\( l \)) = 6.5 feet,
- Width (\( w \)) = 8 feet,
- Height (\( h \)) = 3 feet.
Now, plug the values into the formula:
-
Calculate \( 2lw \): \[ 2lw = 2 \times 6.5 \times 8 = 104 , \text{square feet} \]
-
Calculate \( 2lh \): \[ 2lh = 2 \times 6.5 \times 3 = 39 , \text{square feet} \]
-
Calculate \( 2wh \): \[ 2wh = 2 \times 8 \times 3 = 48 , \text{square feet} \]
Now, add all these areas together to find the total surface area:
\[ \text{Surface Area} = 104 + 39 + 48 = 191 , \text{square feet} \]
So, the surface area of the rectangular prism is 191 square feet.