The surface area of a solid object is a measure of the total area that the surface of the object occupies. The mathematical definition of surface area in the presence of curved surfaces is considerably more involved than the definition of arc length of one-dimensional curves, or of the surface area for polyhedra (i.e., objects with flat polygonal faces), for which the surface area is the sum of the areas of its faces. Smooth surfaces, such as a sphere, are assigned surface area using their representation as parametric surfaces. This definition of surface area is based on methods of infinitesimal calculus and involves partial derivatives and double integration. Surface area is the total amount of space that all of the surfaces of an object take up. It is the sum of the area of all the surfaces of that object.[1] Finding the surface area of a three-dimensional shape is moderately easy as long as you know the correct formula. Each shape has its own separate formula, so you'll first need to identify the shape you’re working with. Memorizing the surface area formula for various objects can make calculations easier in the future. Here are a few of the most common shapes you might encounter.
1
Define the formula for surface area of a cube.
2
Measure the length of one side.
3
Square your measurement for a.
4
Multiply this product by six.
