How do you find the surface area of a box?

Add the areas of all six faces: 2(lw + lh + wh).

What is the surface area of a cube?

All six faces are equal squares, so it's 6 × side².

Surface Area · Grades 6–8

Surface Area Worksheets

Surface area covers the outside of a solid; volume fills the inside. Worksheets for cubes (6s²) and rectangular boxes (2(lw + lh + wh)).

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What it is

Surface area is the total area of all the outside faces of a solid. A cube has six equal faces; a box has three matching pairs.

Why it matters

Surface area is how much material covers a solid (used in packaging, painting, and construction) and it reinforces area and multiplication.

How to do it

Find the area of each face.
For a box, add lw, lh, and wh, then double the total.
For a cube, multiply one face's area by 6.

Examples by level

BeginnerSurface area of a cube with edge 2 cm =24 cm²
IntermediateSurface area of a 3 × 2 × 8 cm box =92 cm²
AdvancedSurface area of a 16 × 5 × 13 cm box =706 cm²

Examples are generated by the same engine as the worksheets, so they're always mathematically correct. Built to avoid repeats, not reshuffle the same handful of questions.

Common mistakes

Confusing surface area (the faces) with volume (the space inside).
Counting only some of the box's faces.
Forgetting to double each pair of matching faces.

Tips

Surface area covers the outside; volume fills the inside.
A box has six faces in three matching pairs.

For parents

Surface area covers the outside; volume fills the inside. For a box, add up all six faces.

For teachers

A net (the unfolded box) makes it obvious there are six faces in three matching pairs.

Key vocabulary

surface area: the total area of all faces of a solid
face: a flat surface of a 3-D shape

Frequently asked questions

How do you find the surface area of a box?: Add the areas of all six faces: 2(lw + lh + wh).
What is the surface area of a cube?: All six faces are equal squares, so it's 6 × side².

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