Surface area

Definition

Surface area is the total area that the surface of a three-dimensional object occupies. It can be calculated by summing the areas of all the shapes that cover the surface of the object.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. For a cube with side length $s$, the surface area is $6s^2$.
2. The surface area of a sphere with radius $r$ is given by $4\pi r^2$.
3. For a cylinder with radius $r$ and height $h$, the surface area is calculated as $2\pi r(h + r)$.
4. Surface area calculations often involve polynomial functions to represent dimensions algebraically.
5. In problems involving rational functions, simplifying fractions can help in solving for dimensions related to surface area.

Review Questions

Related terms

Volume: The amount of space occupied by a three-dimensional object, typically measured in cubic units.

Polynomial Function:

A mathematical expression consisting of variables (or indeterminates) raised to non-negative integer powers and multiplied by coefficients.

Rational Function:

A function that can be expressed as the ratio of two polynomials, where the denominator polynomial is not zero.