IXL | Surface area of prisms and pyramids

A rectangular prism is shown below.

Which diagram is a net for this prism?

What is the surface area of the rectangular prism?

square millimeters

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Learn with an example

question

A triangular prism is shown below.

Which diagram is a net for this prism?

What is the surface area of the triangular prism?

square feet

key idea

A net shows all the faces of a three-dimensional figure.

A triangular prism has two triangular bases and three rectangular lateral faces. Its surface area is the sum of the areas of all five faces.

solution

Five faces make up the triangular prism:

two triangular bases, each with a base of 10 feet and a height of 12 feet
two rectangular lateral faces with a length of 13 feet and a width of 10 feet
one rectangular lateral face with a length of 10 feet and a width of 10 feet

This is a net for the prism. It shows all of the faces and, when folded up, will form the prism.

To find the surface area of the prism, add up the areas of all five faces.

There are two triangular bases, each with a base of 10 feet and a height of 12 feet. Find the area of one of them.

(

)

(

)

(

120

)

square feet

There are two rectangular faces with a length of 13 feet and a width of 10 feet. Find the area of one of them.

(

)

130

square feet

There is one rectangular face with a length of 10 feet and a width of 10 feet. Find its area.

(

)

100

square feet

Finally, find the sum of the areas of the two triangular bases and the three rectangular lateral faces.

(

)

(

130

)

100

120

260

100

480

The surface area of the triangular prism is 480 square

feet.

Looking for more? Try these:

Lesson: Surface area formulas

Lesson: What is surface area?

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Not feeling ready yet? These can help:

HH.4Surface area of cubes and rectangular prisms

HH.6Surface area of triangular prisms

HH.7Surface area of pyramids

Lesson: Surface area formulas

Lesson: What is surface area?

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