Question

Solve on paper, then record your answer on Zearn. You can use the calculator to help you solve.
Rectangular prism with the base measuring 8 units by 5 units and the height of the prism measuring 4 units.
The surface area of the prism is
square units.

Answer 1

To find the surface area of a rectangular prism, you can use the formula:

\[
\text{Surface Area} = 2(lw + lh + wh)
\]

where \( l \) is the length, \( w \) is the width, and \( h \) is the height of the prism.

For your rectangular prism:
- Length (\( l \)) = 8 units
- Width (\( w \)) = 5 units
- Height (\( h \)) = 4 units

Let’s plug these values into the formula:

1. Calculate \( lw \):
\[
lw = 8 \times 5 = 40
\]

2. Calculate \( lh \):
\[
lh = 8 \times 4 = 32
\]

3. Calculate \( wh \):
\[
wh = 5 \times 4 = 20
\]

4. Now add these areas together:
\[
lw + lh + wh = 40 + 32 + 20 = 92
\]

5. Finally, multiply by 2 to get the surface area:
\[
\text{Surface Area} = 2 \times 92 = 184
\]

Therefore, the surface area of the prism is **184 square units**.