- Definition
Surface area is the total amount of space covering the outside of a 3D shape, like the amount of wrapping paper needed to cover a present.
To find the surface area of a cube, you find the area of one square face and then multiply it by six.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Surface area is like the total amount of wrapping paper you would need to cover a gift box on all sides.
Ask your child: If you were to paint this toy box, how many faces would you need to cover?
Common mix-up: Kids often confuse surface area with volume. Surface area is the flat space on the outside of an object, like painting a box, while volume is the space inside, like filling the box with sand.
Examples
- Figuring out how much cardboard is needed to make a cereal box.
- The surface area of a basketball is the total area of the leather material covering it.
surface area is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
