DOES THIS FORMULA WORK?

SOLUTIONS

TASK 1 Test the formula on a rectangular prism

1 Area of top and base Area of both sides Area of back and front

A1 = 2 × (5 × 4) A2 = 2 × (4 × 3) A3 = 2 × (5 × 3)
= 24 cm2 = 30 cm2
= 40 cm2

Surface area of rectangular prism = 94 cm2

2 Perimeter of base = 4 + 5 + 4 + 5
= 18 cm

3 Perimeter of base × height = 18 × 3

= 54 cm2

4 Perimeter of base × height + 2 × area of base = 54 + 2 × 20

= 94 cm2

5 The two answers are the same.

So perimeter of base × height + 2 × area of base equals the surface area of the prism.

TASK 2 Test the formula on a triangular prism

1 
1 Surface area = 2    6  4  + 2  5  8 + 6  8
2 
= 152 cm2

2 Perimeter  height = (5 + 5 + 6)  8
= 128

3 Add twice the area of the base to your answer in step 2.

Answer = 128 + 2  12
= 152 cm2

4 The two answers are the same. If your answer was 208 cm2,
it is because you used the face shown at the bottom of the
diagram as the ‘base’. The base of the prism is the same as
its uniform cross-section, which is the triangle.
The shaded area of each prism on the right is its base.