To calculate the total surface area of the rectangular prism, we need to find the surface area of each face of the prism and then sum them up.
Given:
- Width (W) = 6 inches (top)
- Depth (D) = 3 inches (side)
- Height (H) = 5 inches (tall)
The formula for the total surface area \( S \) of a rectangular prism is:
\[ S = 2(W \cdot H + H \cdot D + W \cdot D) \]
Now, substituting the values into the equation:
- \( W \cdot H = 6 \cdot 5 = 30 \)
- \( H \cdot D = 5 \cdot 3 = 15 \)
- \( W \cdot D = 6 \cdot 3 = 18 \)
Now add these areas:
\[ W \cdot H + H \cdot D + W \cdot D = 30 + 15 + 18 = 63 \]
Now multiply by 2 for the total surface area:
\[ S = 2 \cdot 63 = 126 \]
Thus, the total surface area of the rectangular prism is \( 126 \) square inches.
The correct answer is:
C. 126 in. squared