Q&A for How to Find the Surface Area of a Rectangular Prism

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  • Question
    How do I find the surface area of one with no length or is represented by x?
    Top Answerer
    Multiply x by the width and then by the height.
  • Question
    How do I find the edge lengths for a rectangular prism with a surface area of 92 m?
    Top Answerer
    You can't find them without having additional information.
  • Question
    How do I find the total surface area of a triangular prism?
    Community Answer
    Start off with the formula for the area of a triangle: 1/2bh = a (One half of base times height equals area.) Also, you'll need to know how to find the area of a rectangle, lw = a (length times width equals area.) Make a net of the prism. If the length and width of the prism are say, l = 4 and w = 6, the bottom rectangle in the center should be 4 x 6 (area = 24 sq. units.). Next, do the other two rectangles (Cheat: They're always the same area as the base!) Now, find the area of the triangle. Say the height = 4. We know w = 6, so we multiply 4 x 6. Now we multiply that by 1/2 (divide by 2). Do the same for the other one, then add them up.
  • Question
    How do I find the surface area of a triangular pyramid?
    Community Answer
    Find the surface area of each triangle (base x height), then add them together. If all the triangles are congruent, you can just find the surface area of one and multiply it by 4.
  • Question
    What is the measure of each edge of a rectangle if the surface area is 600?
    Community Answer
    Without knowing more about the rectangular prism and the ratio of the side measurements, it would be difficult to calculate. However, if you are talking about a cube in particular, every side would measure 10 units, if the surface area is 600 units squared.
  • Question
    If the surface area, length, and width are given, how do I determine the height of a rectangular prism?
    Top Answerer
    Multiply length by width, and double it. That gives you the total area of the top and bottom surfaces of the prism. Subtract that from the total surface area you were given. That leaves you with the total area of the four sides of the prism. Set that number aside for a moment. Add the length and width together and double it. That gives you the perimeter around either the top or bottom surface. Divide that perimeter into the total area of the four sides you figured out a moment ago. That gives you the height.
  • Question
    How do I find the length (base) of a rectangular prism if I am given the height, width, and total surface area?
    Top Answerer
    Multiply the width by the height. Double that number. That gives the total surface area of the two smaller ends of the prism. Subtract that figure from the total surface area of the prism. That leaves you with the total area of the other four surfaces. Let's call them the four main surfaces. Add the height to the width and double that figure. That gives you the perimeter around the four main surfaces. Divide that perimeter into the total area of the four main surfaces . That gives you the length of the prism.
  • Question
    How do I write an equation representing the area of a rectangle?
    Top Answerer
    Area equals length multiplied by width.
  • Question
    How do I determine the area of the left side of a triangular prism when only given the area of the rectangle in front?
    Community Answer
    You can't without more information.
  • Question
    What is the surface area of a right rectangular prism with dimensions of 4 cm by 4 cm by 6 cm?
    Community Answer
    top and bottom: 16 cm^2 ea. side front and back: 16cm^2 ea. side side and side: 24cm^2 ea. side Total surface area = 112 cm^2
  • Question
    Is calculating the surface area same for every shape?
    Top Answerer
    No. Every regular shape has its own specific formula. Irregular shapes have no formula.
  • Question
    How do I find the diameter of a rectangular prism?
    Top Answerer
    Rectangular prisms do not have diameters.
  • Question
    How do I find the area of a rectangular prism with one side missing?
    Community Answer
    Find the total surface area and subtract by the area of that particular face.
  • Question
    There are two rectangular prisms, each with a surface area of 600 square inches. What are the possible dimensions of the prisms?
    Top Answerer
    There is an infinite number of possibilities. One of them is 10" x 10" x 10".
  • Question
    How many angles are there on a rectangle or prism?
    Christopher
    Top Answerer
    Rectangles, squares, or prisms all have 4 angles formed by the 4 sides that connect.
  • Question
    How do I find square meters?
    Community Answer
    To find square meters, you start by measuring the length and width of the area you're calculating using meters and centimeters and then, multiply the length and width together to get the area in square meters.
  • Question
    How do I calculate the volume if I am given the surface area?
    Top Answerer
    That wouldn't be possible without additional information such as length, width and height. A given surface area could contain many different volumes depending on the dimensions.
  • Question
    How do I find the surface area of a prism if I know the perimeter?
    Top Answerer
    Multiply the perimeter of the base by the prism's height.
  • Question
    What if there is no height?
    Top Answerer
    Without knowing the height of a prism, you cannot calculate its surface area (or its volume).
  • Question
    A sandbox is a rectangular prism. The area is 3600 square inches. The height is 11 inches. If you add 38,000 cubic inches of sand to the box. Do you fill the box?
    Top Answerer
    You come close. The volume of the sandbox is (11)(3600) = 39,600 cubic inches.
  • Question
    How to do the perimeter of the base and the area of base?
    Top Answerer
    In a rectangular prism, the perimeter of the base is twice the length plus twice the width. The area of the base is the length multiplied by the width.
  • Question
    How to find the surface area of 8 feet by 5 feet?
    Top Answerer
    A rectangle measuring 8 ft by 5 ft has an area of (8)(5) = 40 square feet.
  • Question
    A circular flower bed is 19 meters in diameter and has a circular sidewalk around it that is 3m wide. Find the area of the sidewalk in square meters?
    Top Answerer
    Think of this as two concentric circles, one inside the other, with respective diameters of 19 meters and 19 + 3 + 3 = 25 meters. The larger circle has an area of πr² = (π)(25/2)² = 156.25π. The smaller circle has an area of (π)(19/2)² = 90.25π. Subtract the smaller area from the larger area to find the area of the sidewalk: 156.25π - 90.25π = 66π = 207.24 square meters.
  • Question
    How do I find the surface area if I don't know the height or the width?
    Top Answerer
    You can't do it. You have to know the length, width and height (or you have to know two of those dimensions plus the volume).
  • Question
    How do l find the internal surface area of a rectangular prism?
    Top Answerer
    It's the same as the external surface area: 2(lw) + 2(lh) + 2(wh), where l = length, w=width and h = height.
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