How to find the total surface area of a cube?

Understand the Problem

The question is asking for the formula or method to calculate the total surface area of a cube. A cube has six square faces, and to find the total surface area, we would typically need to use the length of one side of the cube.

Answer

$6a^2$
Answer for screen readers

The total surface area of a cube with side length $a$ is $6a^2$

Steps to Solve

  1. Identify the side length of the cube Given side length is usually denoted as $a$.

  2. Calculate the area of one face Each face of the cube is a square, so the area of one square face is $a^2$.

$$\text{Area of one face} = a^2$$

  1. Calculate the total surface area A cube has 6 faces, all of which are squares of the same size. So, to find the total surface area, multiply the area of one face by 6.

$$\text{Total Surface Area} = 6 \times a^2$$

The total surface area of a cube with side length $a$ is $6a^2$

More Information

The cube is a special case of a rectangular prism where all sides are equal. Its unique geometric properties make formulas for volume and surface area straightforward.

Tips

A common mistake is to forget that a cube has 6 faces. Always count the faces to ensure the correct multiplication factor.

Thank you for voting!
Use Quizgecko on...
Browser
Browser