Surface Area

Surface Area

The area is the space occupied by a two-dimensional flat surface. It has a square unit of
measurement. The surface area of a three-dimensional object is the space taken up by its outer
surface. The unit of measurement is square units.

Types of Surface Areas

Surface Area can be calculated in two ways-

1. Total Surface Area

2. Lateral Surface Area

Total Surface Area – Surface Area is the sum of area of all faces. The total surface area includes all of
the 3D shape's faces, including the flat and curved surfaces.

Lateral Surface Area – The Lateral Surface Area is the area of the curved surface of the shape, it does
not include the area of its base(s). It is also referred as Curved Surface Area.

Surface Area of 3D shapes

Cube – A cube has six faces where each face is a square.

Let the edge of the cube is ‘s’.

The area of one face is s2 (side x side).

The Total Surface Area of the cube is the sum of area of all the six faces.

Total Surface Area (TSA) = 6 x area of one face

= 6 x s2

= 6 s2
The Lateral Surface Area is the sum of four side faces of the cube.

Lateral Surface Area (LSA) = 4 x area of one face

= 4 x s2

= 4 s2

Total Surface Area = 6 s2

Lateral Surface Area = 4 s2

Cuboid – A cube has six faces where opposite faces are equal.

The dimensions of the cuboid are L x B x H.

The area of front and back faces (coloured green) = L x H + L x H

= 2 LH

The area of top and bottom faces (coloured purple) = L x B + L x B

= 2 LB

The area of left and right face (coloured blue) = B x H + B x H

= 2 BH

The Total Surface Area of the cuboid is the sum of area of all the six faces.

Total Surface Area (TSA) = 2 LH + 2 LB + 2 BH

= 2 (LH + LB + BH)
 The Lateral Surface Area is the sum of four side faces of the cuboid.

Total Surface Area (LSA) = 2 LH + 2 BH

= 2 H (L + B)

Total Surface Area = 2 (LH + LB + BH)

Lateral Surface Area = 2 H (L + B)

Cylinder – A cylinder has two flat faces in the shape of circle and one curved face.

As the net of cylinder shows the curved surface face is 2D shape rectangle where length is
circumference of the circle and breadth is height of the cylinder.

Area of rectangle = L x B

= circumference of circle x height

= 2πr x h

= 2πrh

Curved Surface Area = 2πrh

The area of the circular base = πr2

Cylinder has two circular bases so area of both circular bases will be πr 2 + πr2 = 2 πr2

Total Surface Area is sum of area of two circular bases and area of curved surface.
Total Surface Area = Area of two circular bases + curved surface area

= 2 πr 2 + 2πrh

= 2πr (r + h)

Total Surface Area = 2πr (r + h)

Curved Surface Area = Total Surface Area = 2πrh

Cone – A cone has one circular face and one flat base.

The circular base has radius r and height h the slant height l of the cone can be calculated using
Pythagoras theorem.

l= √ r +h
2 2

The Curved Surface Area of the cone can be calculated as area of the sector.

Arc length = 2πr

Radius = l

1
Area of the sector = ( arc length x radius)
2
1
= (2 πr x l)
2
= πrl

Curved Surface Area = πrl

The Total Surface Area is the sum of Curved Surface Area and area of the circle.
Total Surface Area = Curved Surface Area + Area of circle

= πrl+ π r 2

= πr (l+r )

Total Surface Area = πr (l+r )

Curved Surface Area = πrl

Sphere – Sphere is the 3D shape in the form of circle. The sphere has one curved face.

The Lateral Surface Area or Curved Surface Area is same as Total Surface Area.

Total Surface Area = 4 π r 2

 Quiz
1. Ria has made a science project. The base of the project is in the shape of cuboid. She wants
to paint box. To find the total amount of paint required, Ria will calculate –
a. Lateral Surface Area
b. Total Surface Area.
c. Volume
d. None of the above.

Correct option – a.

Explanation – Ria has to paint only sides of the box that is four faces excluding top and
bottom face of the box so she will calculate the lateral Surface Area.

2. What is the Total Surface Area of the cube whose side length is 4 cm.
a. 216 sq. cm
b. 96 sq. cm
c. 16 sq. cm
d. 64 sq. cm

Correct option – b.
Explanation – Total Surface Area = 6 a 2
= 6¿
= 6 x 16
= 96 sq. cm

3. Calculate the cylinder's curved Surface Area. Its base's circumference is 44 cm and height is
4m.
a. 1.76 sq. m
b. 2.76 sq. m
c. 176 sq. cm
d. 17600 sq. cm

Correct option – a. and c

Explanation - Curved Surface Area = 2 πrh

Circumference (2 πr ) = 44 cm or 0.44 m

Height = 4 m or 400 cm

Curved Surface Area = 0.44 x 4 = 1.76 sq. m

= 44 x 400 = 17600 sq. cm

r
4. The Curved Surface Area of a cone whose radius is and slant height as 2l is
2
a. 2 πrl
π
b. rl
2
c. πrl
d. 4 πrl
Correct option – c.

Curved Surface Area = πrl

r
= πx x2l
2
= πrl

5. The Total Surface Area of a cylinder is equal to the sum of areas of

a. Curved surface
b. Curved surface and one circular base
c. Curved surface and both circular bases
d. Both circular bases

Correct option – c.

Explanation - The Total Surface Area of cylinder is equal to the sum of areas of curved
surface and both bases.

6. The height of a cone is 12 cm and radius is 9 cm. Find the slant height.
a. 10 cm
b. 11 cm
c. 14 cm
d. 15 cm

Correct option – d.

Explanation – Slant height l= √ r 2 +h 2

l= √( 9)2+(12)2

l= √ 81+144
l= √225
l=15 cm

7. The slant height of a cone 14 cm and radius of the base is 7 cm, then the total Surface Area is
a. 426 sq. cm
b. 462 sq. cm
c. 514 sq. cm
d. 308 sq. cm

Correct option – b.

Explanation – Total Surface Area = πr ( r+ l )

22
= x 7 ( 7+14 )
7
22
= x 7 x 21
7
 = 462 sq. cm

8. Calculate the difference between the Curved Surface Area and Total Surface Area of a
sphere having radius equals to 3.5 cm.
a. 115.5 sq. cm
b. 78 sq. cm
c. 38.5 sq. cm
d. 0 sq. cm

Correct option – d.

Explanation – The Total Surface Area and the Curved Surface Area is same in sphere. Hence
the difference between the Curved Surface Area and Total Surface Area of a sphere is 0.

9. The diameter of a sphere is 14 units, what is the surface Area of the sphere?
a. 616 square units
b. 2464 square units
c. 308 square units
d. 1232 square units

Correct option – a.

Explanation – The Surface Area = 4 π r 2

Diameter = 14 units

Radius = 7 units

Surface Area = 4 π r 2

22
=4x x7 x7
7
= 616 square units.

10. Find the Total Surface Area of a cuboid whose dimensions are: length = 10 cm, breadth = 5
cm and height = 4 cm
a. 110 sq. cm
b. 220 sq. cm
c. 330 sq. cm
d. 440 sq.cm

Correct option – b.

Explanation – Total Surface Area = 2 ( lb+ bh+ hl )

= 2 (10 x 5 + 5 x 4 + 4 x 10)

= 2 (50 +20 + 40)

= 2 (110)

= 220 sq. cm
 Exploration

Person Name Person’s work links Explanation

1. Mrs Math Teacher https://youtu.be/V_RnZUpBad4 Surface Area of cuboid is
explained with example.
2. Trigfun https://youtu.be/HfgxAM2kCxM 3D visual explanation for
Surface Area of cylinder
3. 7activestudio https://youtu.be/K2ghejiUDXg Derivation of Surface Area
formula of cone.