To calculate the total surface area of a rectangular box (dog crate), you can use the formula:
\[ \text{Surface Area} = 2(lw + lh + wh) \]
where:
- \( l \) = length
- \( w \) = width
- \( h \) = height
For the dog crate:
- \( l = 4 \) feet
- \( w = 2 \) feet
- \( h = 3.5 \) feet
Now we calculate each term in the formula:
- \( lw = 4 \times 2 = 8 \) square feet
- \( lh = 4 \times 3.5 = 14 \) square feet
- \( wh = 2 \times 3.5 = 7 \) square feet
Now sum these areas:
\[ lw + lh + wh = 8 + 14 + 7 = 29 \text{ square feet} \]
Now multiply by 2 to find the total surface area:
\[ \text{Surface Area} = 2 \times 29 = 58 \text{ square feet} \]
So, the total surface area of the dog crate is 58 square feet.
The correct response is: 58 square feet.