Question

follow the steps to find the surface area of the square prism. what is the area of the top and bottom? top and bottom: ? front and back: sides: total sa: (dimensions shown: 3 cm, 3 cm, 8 cm)

Explanation:

Step1: Identify the shape of top and bottom

The top and bottom of the square prism are squares with side length \( 3 \, \text{cm} \), and there are 2 such faces (top and bottom).

Step2: Calculate area of one square

The area of a square is given by \( A = s^2 \), where \( s = 3 \, \text{cm} \). So, area of one square is \( 3^2 = 9 \, \text{cm}^2 \).

Step3: Calculate area of top and bottom

Since there are 2 faces (top and bottom), the total area is \( 2\times9 = 18 \, \text{cm}^2 \).

Answer:

\( 18 \, \text{cm}^2 \)