Copy of Surface Area: Intuitive Introduction

Author:
Alfonso Garcia, Tim Brzezinski
Topic:
Area, Surface

STUDENTS:

Interact with the applet below for a minute or two. After doing so, please answer the questions that follow.
Create a rectangular prism that has a length = 4 units, width = 5 units, and height = 3 units.

1.

How many square units (i.e. "squares") appear on 1 pink face? How many square units (i.e. "squares") appear on 1 gold face? How many square units (i.e. "squares") appear on 1 white face?

2.

Use your answers for (1) to determine the TOTAL SURFACE AREA of this rectangular prism. That is, how many square units, or squares, cover the ENTIRE SURFACE of this rectangular prism?

Now create a rectangular prism that has a length = 8 units, width = 3 units, and height = 5 units.

3.

How many square units (i.e. "squares") appear on 1 pink face? How many square units (i.e. "squares") appear on 1 gold face? How many square units (i.e. "squares") appear on 1 white face?

4.

Use your answers for (3) to determine the TOTAL SURFACE AREA of this rectangular prism. That is, how many square units, or squares, cover the ENTIRE SURFACE of this rectangular prism?

5.

Without looking up anything on another tab in your internet browser, describe how we can determine the total surface area (number of squares) that cover the entire surface of this rectangular prism. Be specific!

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