7th Grade Math

Get ConnectED

Surface Area

PART A BCD EF

Multi-Part

Lesson 2

Addresses

GLE 0706.1.3, GLE 0706.1.8.

592 Volume and Surface Area

Main Idea

Compare surface

area and volume of

rectangular prisms

and cylinders.

Surface Area and Volume

In the following Activity, you will use centimeter cubes to create

rectangular prisms and compare their surface area and volume.

Create a rectangular prism using

2 cm

2 cm

8 centimeter cubes. Copy the table 2 cm

below, record the dimensions, and

find the surface area and volume of

the prism.

Rectangular Length Width

Prism

1

2

3

2 2 2 24 cm^2 8 cm^3

Surface

Area

Height Volume

Repeat Step 1 for as many different rectangular prisms

as you can create with 8 cubes.

the Results

1. What do you notice about the volume of each rectangular prism?


2. Give the dimensions of the rectangular prism with the greatest
   surface area. What is the surface area?


3. Give the dimensions of the rectangular prism with the least
   surface area. What is the surface area?


4. Compare the two rectangular prisms below that have the
   same volume. What is the volume? Which figure has the lesser
   surface area?

'JHVSF
 'JHVSF


5. MAKE A CONJECTURE Suppose you have two prisms with the same
   volume. One is shaped like a cube and the other is “longer.”
   Which has the lesser surface area? Explain.

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