Surface Area of Common Solids

Home > Lessons > Surface Area Search | Updated September 19th, 2006
Introduction
In this section, you will learn how to calculate the surface area of common solids to include definition
of surface area, prisms, cylinders, pyramids, cones, and spheres. You will be invited to try
our quizmasters at the end of each lesson.
Definition of Surface Area


Within our area section, we had to provide a definition for the meaning of area. That definition rested
upon the square -- particularly a unit square. A unit Square can be 1" x 1" or 1 yd x 1 yd or 1 ft x 1 ft or a
square by some other unit.

Unit Square
We saw the area of a figure was nothing more than the sum of all unit squares of a figure. For the
surface area of a solid, there is a similar definition, but it applies to the exterior surfaces of the solid. The
definition of surface area is the sum of all unit squares that fit on the exterior of a solid.
Surface Area of Prisms SA = 2(lw + hl + hw)


General Prism
This is the best figure to begin with when investigating surface area. It is the
most simple figure of all the solids. It is also a figure most people have personal
experience due to either wrapping or opening gifts.
All the surfaces of a prism are rectangular. This makes calculating the areas
of these surfaces very easy to do. The area of rectangles have been discussed
in another section, which is available for review before proceeding, if necessary.
As the diagram below indicates, there are six surfaces to a rectangular prism.
There is a front, back, top, bottom, left, and right to every rectangular prism. The
surface are of a prism is nothing more than



the sum of all the areas of these rectangles.
Using the labeling of the general prism diagram above, a formula can be
created for dealing with the surface area of prisms. Let's calculate the area of
each surface.
Prism Surface Area Formula
Top : lw
Bottom : lw
Front : hl
Back : hl
Left : hw
Right : hw
Total : lw + lw + hl + hl + hw + hw
: 2lw + 2hl + 2hw
: 2(lw + hl + hw)
Example 1: Given l = 4 yds, w = 2 yds, and h = 5 yds, the surface area would be
SA = 2[(4 yds)(2 yds) + (5 yds)(4 yds) + (5 yds)(2 yds)]= 2(8 yds
2
+ 20 yds
2
+ 10
yds
2
) = 2(38 yds
2
) = 76 yds
2
.
Example 2: Given l = 6 mm, w = 9 mm, and h = 8 mm, the surface area would be
SA = 2[(6 mm)(9 mm) + (8 mm)(6 mm) + (8 mm)(9 mm)]= 2(54 mm
2
+ 48 mm
2
+
72 mm
2
) = 2(174 mm
2
) = 348 mm
2
.
Quizmaster: Surface Area of Prisms
Surface Area of Cylinders SA = 2r
2
+ 2rh


General Cylinder
A cylinder has a total of three surfaces: a top, bottom, and middle. The top and bottom, which are
circles, are easy to visualize.
The area of a circle is r
2
. So, the area of two circles would be r
2
+ r
2
= 2r
2
.
The third surface, the lateral surface area, is less easy to visualize for the purposes of calculating its
area, especially since it does not appear to be in a shape that fits a known area like
a triangle or parallelogram. The surface being referred to is the curved wall of the cylinder.
We can manipulate the curved wall of a cylinder to produce a
recognizable shape. Imagine starting with a cylinder, like a typical
can, and then cutting the can up its wall. From the bottom to the
top of the can, a cut is made. See the dashed segment in step one
of the diagram to the right.
Now, from the newly cut edge, the cylinder wall will be spread
open. Almost like opening double doors to a fancy home, the walls
spread apart. See step two of the same diagram.
When the cylinder's wall is completely open, it takes the form a
very recognizable, basic shape. It is arectangle. Fortunately, the
area of a rectangle is easy to calculate. But we need to go back to
the original cylinder for a moment before we calculate the
rectangle's area. The top of the original cylinder is a circle. We
know that the distance around a circle is called its circumference,
C = 2r. The circumference has been marked in red.
When the cylinder wall is completely open, we see that the
circumference of the circle becomes the length of the final
rectangle. The dimensions of the rectangle are the circumference,
C = 2r, and the height of the cylinder, h. So, the area of the
rectangle is A = l x w = C x h = 2r x h = 2rh.
Finally, if we put all the three surfaces together, we can arrive at
the formula for the complete surface area of a cylinder. The top, the
bottom, and the walls of the cylinder (the lateral surface area)
determine the total surface area. Those values are r
2
+ r
2
+ 2rh
= 2r
2
+ 2rh. Sometimes this expression is written as 2r(r + h) in
certain geometry texts. [Can you see how 2r
2
+ 2rh = 2r(r + h)
by the distributive property?]
Example 1: If r = 6 ft and h = 4 ft, then the surface area would be
SA = 2(3.14)(6 ft)
2
+ 2(3.14)(6 ft)(4 ft) = 2(3.14)(36 ft
2
) + 2(3.14)(24
ft
2
) = 226.08 ft
2
+ 150.72 ft
2
= 376.8 ft
2
.
Example 2: If r = 5 cm and h = 2 cm, then the surface area would be
SA = 2(3.14)(5 cm)
2
+ 2(3.14)(5 cm)(2 cm) = 2(3.14)(25 cm
2
) + 2(3.14)(10 cm
2
) = 157 cm
2
+ 62.8 cm
2
= 219.8
cm
2
.
Quizmaster: Surface Area of Cylinders

Surface Area of Square Pyramids SA = s
2
+ 2sl


General Pyramid
Pyramids that have a square base have a total of five surfaces. To determine the shapes of those
surfaces, we will start with a pyramid from step one below. If we cut along the lateral edges of the
pyramid, we can allow the figure to flatten out in step two below. From step two, the individual figures
are easily identified as a square and four triangles.

We can use the area formulas for a rectangle and a triangle to determine the complete formula for the
surface area of the pyramid. The square (or base of the solid) has an area that can be calculated by
multiplying its length times its width. Since those dimensions are equal, the area is s x s = s
2
.
Now we need to calculate the area of the remaining surfaces. The remaining surfaces happen to form
the lateral surface area of the pyramid, which are triangles. The area formula for a triangle is its base
times its height divided by two. In the case of one of the triangles above it would be s x l 2. However,
there are four triangles. This would make the total lateral surface area equal to four times the area of one
triangle, or 4 x s x l 2. Upon simplifying the expression, we get 2sl.
The total surface area of the pyramid is equal to the area of the base plus its lateral surface area or
s
2
+ 2sl. So, given the base length of the pyramid, s, and its slant height, l, the total surface area is not a
difficult computation. Yet, when dimensions are provided for a pyramid, one is rarely provided with the
slant height, l. Instead, the height of the pyramid is given. This is an important difference, as one is
always larger than the other.
Not knowing the slant height makes calculating its value the first
goal for finding the lateral area of a pyramid. The diagram to the right
will provide insight into finding a relationship for calculating the slant
height.
A right triangle, which rests internally within the pyramid, has been
highlighted. The hypotenuse (longest side) is the slant height of the
pyramid, l. This is the length we need to know in order to calculate the
surface area of the pyramid. The height of the pyramid is a leg of the
right triangle. The base of the right triangle is half the length of the
base edge of the pyramid, s. At this point, we would use The
Pythagorean Theorem to calculate the slant height.
Pythagoras said leg
2
+ leg
2
= hypotenuse
2
. In the case of our right triangle, we would get (1/2 s)
2
+ h
2
=
l
2
. Solving for the slant height would then depend on our ability to use the Pythagorean Theorem.
To review the process, there is an outline of the steps that need to be taken:
I. Determine the height, h, and base edge, s, of a given pyramid. Make sure their values are in the

same unit measure (feet, centimeters, ...).
II. Use The Pythagorean Theorem to calculate the slant height, l, of the pyramid.
III. Calculate the area of the base, s
2
.
IV. Calculate the lateral surface area, 2sl.
V. Calculate the total surface area by adding the base area to the lateral area, s
2
+ 2sl.
VI. Report the final surface area value using square units.
Here are two examples that demonstrate how to calculate the total surface area of a pyramid.
Example 1: Given: s = 8 m and h = 3 m. First we calculate the slant height using The Pythagorean
Theorem and half the base length. 3
2
+ 4
2
= l
2
==> 9 + 16 = l
2
==> 25 = l
2
, or l = 5 m. The surface area
would then require use of the formula
SA = (8 m)
2
+ 2(8 m)(5 m) = 64 m
2
+ 80 m
2
= 144 m
2
.
Example 2: Given: s = 7 in and h = 6 in. First we calculate the slant height using The Pythagorean
Theorem and half the base length. (3.5)
2
+ 6
2
= l
2
==> 12.25 + 36 = l
2
==> 48.25 = l
2
, or l = 6.95 in. The
surface area would then require use of the formula
SA = (7 in)
2
+ 2(7 in)(6.95 in) = 49 in
2
+ 97.3 in
2
= 146.3 in
2
.
Quizmaster: Surface Area of Pyramids
Surface Area of Cones SA = r
2
+ rl


General Cone
Example 1: Given r = 4 m and h = 3 m. First we must calculate the slant height usingThe Pythagorean
Theorem. (4 m)
2
+ (3 m)
2
= l
2
==> 16 m
2
+ 9 m
2
= l
2
==> 25 m
2
= l
2
, or l = 5 m. The surface area would then
require use of the formula
SA = ()(4 m)
2
+ ()(4 m)(5 m) = (16 m
2
)() + (20 m
2
)() = 36 m
2
(in terms of ) or 113.0 m
2
.
Example 2: Given r = 7 in and h = 10 in. First we must calculate the slant height usingThe Pythagorean
Theorem. (7 in)
2
+ (10 in)
2
= l
2
==> 49 in
2
+ 100 in
2
= l
2
==> 149 in
2
= l
2
, or l = 12.21 in. The surface area
would then require use of the formula
SA = ()(7 in)
2
+ ()(7 in)(12.21 in) = (49 in
2
)() + (85.47 in
2
)() = 134.47() in
2
= 422.2 in
2
.
Quizmaster: Surface Area of Cones
Surface Area of Spheres SA = 4r
2



General Sphere
Example 1: Given r = 3 ft. The surface area requires the use of the formula
SA = 4()(3 ft)
2
= 4()(9 ft
2
) = 36 ft
2
(in terms of ) or 113.0 ft
2
.
Example 2: Given diameter = 20 m or r = 10 m. The surface area requires the use of the formula
SA = 4()(10 m)
2
= 4()(100 m
2
) = 400 m
2
(in terms of ) or 1256 m
2
.
Quizmaster: Surface Area of Spheres
Quizmasters
After reading the lessons, try our quizmasters. MATHguide has developed numerous testing and
checking programs to solidify these skills:
Surface Area of Prisms
Surface Area of Cylinders
Surface Area of Pyramids
Surface Area of Cones
Surface Area of Spheres