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
Wrapping a box for shipping means covering every face without missing one, which is surface area, as distinct from how much the box can hold. Unfolding it into a net, six faces in three matching pairs, turns the formula into something you can count instead of memorize.
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 2.5 × 6 × 4 cm box =Answer98 cm²
- IntermediateSurface area of a 2.5 × 5 × 4 cm box =Answer85 cm²
- AdvancedSurface area of a 5 × 14 × 5 cm box =Answer330 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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