Surface area is the entire outside area of a solid figure. Below is a rectangular prism, the faces, and the net for the rectangular prism.
The above net is color coded to show the polygons in the net that correspond to the faces of the rectangular prism. Usually nets are shown as outlines, such as the following diagram.
The area of the net, or sum of the areas of all polygons and regions that create the net, is called the total surface area of the prism. There are two ways to find the area of the net. The simplest way is to look at the areas of the individual faces and add them together.
Answer the following questions. Click on the blank space to check your answers.
